Battle of the machines: Chinese robot makers take on foreign peers

Kuka robot pours wine at a fair in Shanghai in November 2015.[Photo/China Daily]

Foreign heavyweights including ABB Ltd, KUKA Robotics Corp and FANUC Corp are sharing the rest 70 percent of the market.

"China's robot industry is like a toddler. But it is growing in the world's largest robot market where many competitive foreign enterprises are scrambling for a pie. Opportunities abound, so do challenges. A simple mistake is likely to nip the industry in the bud," Qu of Siasun said.

Also, a wide technological gap still exists between domestic robot manufacturers and their foreign counterparts.