Hangzhou to introduce China's first local legislation on embodied intelligent robots

Hangzhou is set to pioneer China's first local regulation for the embodied intelligent robot industry, marking a significant milestone in shaping the future of artificial intelligence through institutional innovation.

The draft Regulation on Promoting the Development of the Embodied Intelligent Robot Industry in Hangzhou was reviewed on Oct 28 at the 30th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th Hangzhou Municipal People's Congress.

Embodied intelligence — robots capable of perceiving, reasoning, and acting in real-world environments — was included in China's national development strategy this year. Hangzhou is already home to 700 enterprises across the robotic "brain", "cerebellum", and "body" segments, yet the city still faces challenges in core technologies, standardization, and application.

The draft regulation establishes mechanisms for technological innovation, calling for stronger collaboration among enterprises, universities, and research institutes to advance motion control systems, key components, and intelligent chips. It also aims to develop specialized industrial parks that offer talent incentives, IP protection, and financial support to foster a world-class ecosystem.

To accelerate the adoption of new technologies in industry, Hangzhou will promote pilot applications in fields such as industrial production, public services, and urban management. Notably, the city also plans to explore a coding system for embodied intelligent robots to enable full lifecycle tracking and ensure safety supervision.