The city of Jinan is rapidly establishing itself as a leading robotics hub in northern China. At the second session of the “Shandong Good Brands on the Industrial Chain” press conference series, focused on the robotics industry chain, officials revealed that Jinan accounts for nearly 50% of Shandong Province’s robotics industry scale. Backed by a workforce of more than 300,000 software professionals, the city is positioning itself as a national leader in robotics innovation and application.
Zhao Peicai, Director of the Software and Information Service Division of the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology and Head of the Coordination Office for Robotics Industry Development, outlined five major advantages driving the city’s robotics sector:
-
High concentration and scale. Jinan contributes nearly half of Shandong’s robotics industry output, making it one of the four core innovation development zones in the province.
-
Complete industrial chain. The city has built a “software + hardware” ecosystem spanning upstream key components (such as servomotors and controllers), midstream robot manufacturing (industrial and service robots), and downstream system integration and applications.
-
Strong innovation capacity. Jinan is home to three national-level industrial design centers, three national “single champion” manufacturers, three national enterprise technology centers, and ten provincial technology centers. Local companies have delivered significant breakthroughs, such as UBTECH’s humanoid robot joints, Desheng’s world-first “thread inspection robot,” and Alexander’s domestically developed GomROS operating system.
-
Robust growth environment. As one of China’s first “software cities” and a dual national pilot zone for AI applications, Jinan offers fertile ground for robotics development, supported by its advanced manufacturing base and a thriving information technology services cluster.
-
Strong policy support. The municipal government has introduced targeted measures including a dedicated robotics industry office, special funding, industrial parks, innovation competitions, and the release of three lists of application scenarios covering more than 10 sectors from manufacturing to education and construction.
Robots “Made in Jinan” Accelerate Evolution
Recent successes showcase Jinan’s rapid rise. UBTECH’s humanoid robot Walker Taishan impressed global audiences at the World Humanoid Robot Games this month, Alexander’s GomROS system broke foreign monopolies in robot operating systems, and Desheng’s inspection robots filled critical global technology gaps.
These advances stem from a clear strategy: treating robotics as one of Jinan’s 13 signature industrial chains. With specialized policies, dedicated offices, and alliances to coordinate industry players, the city has built a robust robotics ecosystem spanning components, manufacturing, and integration.
Breaking Bottlenecks with “Full-Cycle” Support
Jinan also recognizes its growing pains. Precision components often need to be sourced from southern China, raising costs and slowing production. To address this, the city has attracted Sujia Technology, a “cloud manufacturing” platform for mechanical components. Dubbed the “Didi for spare parts,” the platform can generate quotes in seconds and automatically match factories nationwide, cutting costs by about 20% and accelerating local supply chain integration.
At the same time, Jinan is addressing the “technology without scenarios” dilemma. By compiling three application lists — demand, supply, and matching — the city has already facilitated 56 supply-demand partnerships across sectors including manufacturing, education, logistics, agriculture, and healthcare.
Toward a New Robotics Hub in the Yellow River Basin
Looking forward, Jinan aims to build what officials call a “six-haves” industrial ecosystem: talent, technology, products, application scenarios, real-world deployment, and supporting infrastructure. Through its new Embodied Intelligence Port and the Jinan Robotics Industry Alliance, the city plans to strengthen collaboration between leading firms and startups while advancing three focus areas:
-
Robots for hazardous work (e.g., handling dangerous chemicals, disaster rescue)
-
Robots for repetitive tasks (e.g., automotive manufacturing)
-
Robots for labor-intensive services (e.g., elderly care, education, healthcare)
Officials stressed that the city will not only pursue breakthroughs in individual technologies but also foster system-level collaboration across the robotics chain — from R&D and manufacturing to large-scale application.
As Zhao Peicai noted, following China’s national “AI+” initiative, Jinan will continue to implement its “Robot+” strategy, aiming to transform the city from holding “half of Shandong’s market” to becoming a new robotics highland along the Yellow River Basin.
From factory floors to disaster sites and eldercare facilities, Jinan-made robots are moving from tools of precision engineering to companions and helpers in daily life — a sign that the city’s robotics industry is not just growing, but rapidly evolving.