Since this year, Shanghai’s high-end manufacturing industry cluster has become a strong support for the growth of foreign trade, among which the export of robots has been particularly outstanding.
According to statistics from Shanghai Customs, in the first five months of this year, the export value of various individually listed robots at Shanghai Port reached 8.36 billion yuan, exported to 113 countries and regions around the world, accounting for more than 40% of the country’s total robot exports, ranking first in the country.
Specifically, cleaning robots represented by sweeping robots have become the main export force due to their mature technical advantages and clear application scenarios.
The total export value in the first five months was 6.11 billion yuan, accounting for 71.6% of the total export value of Shanghai port robots.
These cleaning robots are favored by consumers around the world for their efficient cleaning capabilities and intelligent operations.
The export of industrial robots has also continued the momentum of rapid growth last year, with exports in the first five months reaching 2.13 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 39.5%.
It is worth mentioning that industrial robots have successfully entered traditional industrial robot markets such as Germany and Japan. In the first five months, exports to Germany and Japan increased by 84% and 36.5% respectively, which fully demonstrates the competitiveness of Shanghai’s industrial robots.
This rapid growth in robot exports is inseparable from the precise efforts of tax research.
The eight-digit tax number is the exclusive “ID card” for imported and exported goods. Different tax numbers will have different import and export policy requirements.
Previously, the classification of robots in the “Import and Export Tariffs” was relatively macro, and the main categories were industrial robots.
Differences in awareness and enforcement among different countries and regions bring significant compliance risks and operating costs to export companies.
The Tax Collection and Administration Bureau of the General Administration of Customs (Shanghai) conducted on-site research based on industry development demands and proposed a number of taxation suggestions to the Tariff Commission of the State Council, including adding tax numbers for “intelligent bionic robots” and “cleaning robots”, which were adopted and implemented in the “2026 Tariff Adjustment Plan”.
Starting from January 1 this year, the import and export of intelligent bionic robots have exclusive “ID numbers” – tariff numbers 8479.8970, and cleaning robots are 8508.1110, 8508.1910.
In order to help companies accurately grasp the latest import and export tax policies, the Tax Collection and Administration Bureau of the General Administration of Customs (Shanghai) launched policy publicity for new tax numbers in 2026 and refined the classification standards for various types of robots.
Zhao Junhui, logistics manager of Ecovacs, said: “The refinement of tax numbers has effectively improved the accuracy of product classification, greatly simplified the customs clearance process, significantly improved the level of trade facilitation, and opened up efficient channels for companies to go overseas.” This series of measures not only promotes the export of Shanghai robots, but also provides strong support for the development of China’s robot industry in the global market.
In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology and the continuous optimization of policies, Shanghai’s robot exports are expected to continue to maintain a good growth trend and inject new vitality into the development of China’s foreign trade.
