This March, the Shanghai Cherry Blossom Festival returned in full bloom. At Baoshan's  Gucun Park, visitors didn't just soak in the breathtaking cherry blossoms—they were treated to an extraordinary spectacle: humanoid robots strutting down the runway.

What explains this magical fusion of robotics and petals? The answer lies in Gucun Town, Baoshan District—the heart of industrial robot R&D and manufacturing in the area. It's also home to Shanghai's  first municipal-level industrial park of robotics: the Shanghai Industrial Park of Robotics.

“China defines the world's industrial robot output; Shanghai defines China; and Baoshan defines Shanghai. We account for one-ninth of China's entire output and one-third of Shanghai's ,” says the general manager of the Shanghai Industrial Park of Robotics.

Recently, the “Journey Across China” multimedia reporting team launched by People.cn visited Gucun to explore this robot-themed industrial park and see firsthand how the futuristic idea of “robots making robots” has become real.

On the north side of Fulian 3rd Road in Baoshan, one factory building jumps out in bright yellow with the iconic red “FANUC” logo. This is the Shanghai FANUC Smart Factory (Phase III) inside the park—FANUC's largest facility outside Japan and a true “super-smart factory” in the robotics world.

FANUC Smart Manufacturing Experience Center

 (Photo courtesy of the Baoshan District Information Office)

Stepping into the Smart Manufacturing Experience Center feels like entering the factory of the future. There are precision-driven car assembly systems, seamless high-load transport, and ultra-accurate visual inspection—all powered by more than 50 robot units spanning various industries and assembly stages. Massive robotic arms move fluidly, their movements accompanied by a gentle mechanical hum.

Boasting a total investment of 1.58 billion RMB and occupying 300,000 square meters, this “super-smart factory” delivers on its name. Company leaders say its power lies in showcasing intelligent manufacturing in concentrated form. For instance, its sheet-metal production line runs at over 95% automation, achieving fully unmanned, intelligent production.

“FANUC is one of the 'Big Four'in industrial robotics globally, with formidable strength, and it plays a pivotal role in the economies of both Baoshan and Shanghai,” the park's  general manager told us.

Behind this “super-smart factory,” with annual output reaching into the billions, is over a decade of strategic ecosystem building at the Shanghai Industrial Park of Robotics. From the inauguration of FANUC's Phase I facility to its evolution into the current high-tech powerhouse, FANUC—rooted in the region for 17 years—serves both as a benchmark and a seed for Baoshan's  blossoming robotics ecosystem.

In a highly competitive industry, how does the park carve out its niche? The general manager emphasizes a strategy of “differentiated development,” and notes a rare advantage: “Plot 104,” the industrial tract closest to Shanghai's city center. It offers unique possibilities for industrial growth and lays the groundwork for a distinctive development strategy.

People.cn's“Journey Across China” Team Visits the Shanghai Industrial Park of Robotics 

(Photo by Gu Haimin / People.cn)

“As a core hub of Baoshan's Northern Transformation strategy, the Shanghai Industrial Park of Robotics is delivering remarkable economic results.”

Like a small gear locking into a much larger one, the industrial park—one of Gucun Town's signature landmarks—has become a powerful engine driving local economic growth and raising the town's  industrial profile. According to local officials, the town is committed to building a comprehensive support system to foster a virtuous cycle of collaboration between the park and the local economy.

Aerial view of the Shanghai Robotics Industrial Park 

(Photo courtesy of the park)

Though it covers just 3.09 square kilometers, the park has pursued a bold strategy: “attracting industry giants, fostering symbiosis with SMEs, and integrating foreign players.” This unique model is reshaping the landscape of China's  robotics industry.

And the details say it all.

When a FANUC robotic arm performs precision welding on a car assembly line, it's  not just fusing metal; it's  forging the future of an entire industrial ecosystem. The numbers back this up:

From 17 billion yuan in 2020 to 25.87 billion yuan in 2024, the park's gross industrial output has surged by over 52%. The Shanghai Industrial Park of Robotics has truly become a “growth pole” and a “powerhouse” of the city's economy.

In the park's exhibition hall, the vision is clear:

“To build a globally influential robotics and smart manufacturing ecosystem.”

And the momentum is strong. As of 2024, more than 270 robotics-related enterprises—over 80% of the park's  total—have set up shop here, forming a fully integrated industrial chain.

“Becoming a globally influential player is our long-term goal,” said the park's  general manager.

He shared that the park is now pivoting toward the next frontier: embodied intelligence, with plans to attract leading humanoid robotics companies and cultivate new engines of growth. In June, Shanghai Depu Robotics—a joint venture between Friend Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Kepler Robotics Co., Ltd.—officially settled in the park, strengthening the entire intelligent manufacturing value chain. Designated as a national-level specialized industrial cluster for SMEs, the park is positioning itself as a key platform for building Shanghai's 100-billion-yuan “Robotics and Advanced Equipment” industrial cluster.

In recent years, Shanghai's smart manufacturing sector has seen rapid growth, contributing to China's rise as a manufacturing powerhouse. In 2023, the city's industrial output from intelligent manufacturing system integration topped 60 billion yuan, while smart manufacturing equipment surpassed 100 billion yuan. That same year, Shanghai released the Shanghai Action Plan to Promote High-Quality Innovation and Development of the Intelligent Robot Industry (2023-2025), setting a clear goal: to establish itself as a globally influential hub for robotics innovation by 2025.

Rooted in Gucun with a global vision, Shanghai is leveraging its robotics industry as a springboard to propel “Intelligent Manufacturing in China” across oceans and onto the world stage.