Robot manufacturers in south China's Guangdong Province are seeing a growing shift from overseas trial orders to large-scale exports, as demand for domestically developed robots continues to strengthen in global markets.

A dedicated customs tariff code for cleaning robots took effect in January, supporting the sector's expansion and helping pave the way for larger-scale international shipments. The momentum has continued into the second half of 2026, with overseas orders rising steadily.

Guangdong-made cleaning robots are gaining popularity across Europe, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, with some manufacturers reporting orders and production schedules doubling from a year earlier.

The growing international demand is positioning domestically made robots as a new growth engine for China's high-end equipment exports, particularly for applications involving high-risk and labour-intensive work.