The First Robot Cooperation Organization Initiated by China Officially Unveiled

On the afternoon of August 16, the 2023 World Robot Conference (WRC) opened at the Beijing Etrong International Exhibition & Convention Center. Under the theme "Open Innovation, Sharing the Future," the first robot cooperation organization initiated by China—the World Robot Cooperation Organization (WRCO)—was officially unveiled. It is reported that based on the World Robot Conference, a platform for extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits with significant international influence in the robotics field, the World Robot Cooperation Organization was formally registered and established in Beijing in November 2022. The organization aims to further promote global robotics technological innovation and industrial development, and to foster an open, cooperative, and sustainable global robotics ecosystem.

　　Launch Ceremony of the World Robot Cooperation Organization

　　Launch Ceremony of the 2023 World Robot Conference

The World Robot Conference has been successfully held for seven sessions since 2015. Organized by the Beijing Municipal Government, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and the China Association for Science and Technology, and hosted by the Chinese Institute of Electronics, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, and the Administrative Committee of Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, it is the largest, highest-level, and most internationally diverse industry event in China's robotics field.

As the permanent venue for the World Robot Conference, Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area has, in recent years, seized the new rapid development window for the robot industry, accelerated the promotion of high-quality development of the robotics industry, and served Beijing in building a robotics industry cluster. Currently, the Beijing E-Town robotics industry has gathered nearly one hundred robotics ecosystem enterprises, with output value accounting for 50% of Beijing's same industry. It has achieved independent control in key core components such as reducers and made innovative breakthroughs in products like特种 (special-purpose) robots and industrial cleanroom robots.

Robots are the result of deep integration of new-generation information technology and high-end manufacturing, profoundly changing people's production and lives, and vigorously promoting social development and progress. The forums of this conference emphasize open共建 (co-construction), academic leadership, and industrial development, consisting of 6 main forums, nearly 30 thematic forums, and supporting activities. More than 320 representatives from international organizations, academicians, renowned domestic and foreign experts, and entrepreneurs were invited to participate. They engaged in keynote reports and high-level dialogues focusing on topics such as open robot cooperation, technology trends, industrial applications, and ecosystem construction, with a particular emphasis on "robot +" application scenarios and hot topics.

To enhance the internationalization, professionalism, and marketization level of the exhibition, this year's Expo, for the first time, features ten major application scenario exhibition zones across the entire venue, including "Robot +" applications in manufacturing, agriculture, commerce and logistics, medical health, commercial community services, safety emergency, and extreme environments, along with one key components zone. It presents the latest technologies, products, solutions, and applications of the robotics industry from multiple dimensions and perspectives. The total exhibition area reached 45,000 square meters, an increase of 5,000 square meters from last year, attracting 160 domestic and international robotics enterprises to exhibit nearly 600 exhibits. Sixty global debut new products will be centrally released at the Expo, the highest number in the conference's history. Focusing on upstream and downstream industrial chain synergy, the Expo has set up a Key Components Zone, where over 30 enterprises and research institutions will showcase the achievements in strengthening and complementing the robotics industry chain and the innovative capabilities in key core technologies.

Running concurrently with the conference, the 2023 World Robot Contest Championships (Beijing) will commence, featuring four major competitions: the Co-existing Robot Challenge (CRC), the BCI (Brain-Computer Interface) Brain-controlled Robot Contest, the Robot Application Contest, and the Youth Robot Design Contest. These include 27 major events, 68 sub-events, and 116 competition groups. Building on the foundation of maintaining high-quality competition standards, innovations have been made in each event. Approximately 4,000 elite contestants from around the world will compete daily, 2.5 times the number from last year. Concurrently with the competitions, the 2023 World Robot Conference Brain-controlled Robot Challenge Event will be held, aiming to set this year's records for brain-controlled typing and brain-controlled drone events.

As a platform promoting global robotics industry and technological exchange and cooperation, the conference has consistently been a hub for robotics industry achievements. During this conference, the "China Robotics Technology and Industry Development Report (2023)," the "Top Ten Robotics Frontier Technologies (2023-2024)," and the "2023 World Robot Conference Proceedings" will be released, showcasing the latest major achievements in global robotics technology and industry. Furthermore, the 2023 World Robot Conference "Investment and Innovation Stars," the "Top Ten Technological Innovation Achievements of the 2023 World Robot Contest," and relevant policies for robotics industry development will also be announced during the conference.