BEIJING — Vice-Premier Liu Yandong proposed on Oct 20 that all countries, including China, should forge ahead with robotic research, sci-tech innovation and the commercialization of the result products.

While addressing the opening ceremony of the World Robot Conference 2016 (WRC2016), which runs till Oct 25, Liu said advancements in robotics had supported the development of intelligent manufacturing, and helped improve production efficiency and people’s lives.

“The central government highly values the role innovation plays in robotics technology and industry development. We hope to work with other countries on smart industries, including robotics, and build an intelligent society that will benefit mankind,” Liu said.

She called for greater international exchanges and cooperation in areas such as formulation of industry standards, patent applications and intellectual property rights protection.

With the theme “Win-Win Collaborative Innovation Toward the Building of an Intelligent Society,” the WRC2016 has drawn nearly 150 robotics companies from across the world.