By Hasan Muhammad

Editor's Note: The writer is a freelance columnist on international affairs based in Karachi, Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of China Economic Net.

The 138th Canton Fair, now in its final phase through November 4, stands as more than a marketplace. It is a testament to China's pivot from manufacturing might to innovation mastery, with artificial intelligence and robotics at the forefront. Over 32,000 exhibitors have gathered, unveiling more than a million new products, including 353,000 smart exhibits that pulse with intellectual property born in Chinese labs. As the second phase wrapped on October 27, nearly 240,000 buyers from 223 nations had streamed in, up 6.8 percent from last year - a clear sign that global demand is aligning with China's supply of practical, forward-thinking tech.

Consider the service robotics zone, a 4,200-square-meter beacon introduced last spring and now a staple. Here, humanoid figures pour water with graceful precision, spherical devices navigate land and sea without a hitch, and robotic dogs scale 35-degree inclines over gravel and sand, even dipping in mock bows for admirers. These are not showpieces; they bridge the gap from AI theory to daily use, embodying the "last mile" of commercialization that has eluded many nations.

This momentum mirrors a national ascent. China's robotics revenue hit 240 billion yuan in 2024, with 370,000 industrial units produced in the first half of this year alone. By year's end 2024, over two million robots operated nationwide, per the International Federation of Robotics—the world's largest fleet. Yet the service side steals the show, tackling elder care, disaster response, and precision labor where human limits falter.

Recent milestones amplify the narrative. On November 3, Pony.ai rolled out its seventh-generation robotaxis in Shenzhen, the first citywide driverless commercial permit in China, partnering with Xihu Group to deploy over 1,000 units across districts like Nanshan and Bao'an. These vehicles, honed for urban chaos, promise cleaner streets and fewer emissions in a megacity of 13 million. Meanwhile, the Financial Street Forum in Beijing last week spotlighted "patient capital" - long-term funding that nurtures breakthroughs from prototype to production. Galbot, a humanoid trailblazer, credited this ecosystem for scaling embodied AI, aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan's push for tech self-reliance.

Critics abroad decry this as overreach, but the fair's floors reveal collaboration, not conquest. Photovoltaic cleaners that dust solar arrays autonomously could power off-grid villages in Africa or Latin America. Therapy bots for nursing homes address aging crises from Tokyo to Turin.

Doubts linger, of course. Commercializing humanoids demands software leaps, and ethical guardrails must evolve. Yet with finance channeling into AI, green, and integration - as National Financial Regulatory Administration head Li Yunze affirmed at the forum - the path seems steady. The Canton Fair, born in 1957 amid isolation, now links Guangzhou to the globe, turning ideas into exports that ease burdens everywhere.

In this era of flux, China's robotics odyssey invites partnership. It is not about dominance but diffusion: tools that work for all, from Shenzhen streets to distant frontiers. As deals tally in the billions and robots bow to new owners, the message resonates. Innovation shared multiplies; hoarded, it stalls.