Joe Leahy, Tina Hu and William LangleyJun 30, 2026 – 1.24pmIn the workshops of the Sany truck plant in central China, the whirr of robots pressing and spraying vehicle panels has virtually replaced the chatter of humans.The company is also trying to automate the final and most labour-intensive assembly phase, using humanoids – the frontier of robotics – in anticipation of labour shortages when China’s population ages.Financial TimesSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles