Robot revolution in China

Robots are providing services in restaurants. [from IC]

Robots that can diagnose diseases, play badminton and wow audiences with their musical skills are among the machines China hopes could revolutionize its economy, with visitors to a Beijing exhibition offered a glimpse of an automated future.

The popular stars of this year's World Robot Conference were undoubtedly the small, amateur-made "battle bots" which smashed, hammered and sawed their way through their opponents to a cacophony of cheers and shouts from a rapt audience.

"With this robot, I can fully express myself. I love the sparks," said Huang Hongsong, one of around a dozen Chinese youths whose creations went head-to-head.

But while the battle bots are designed largely to entertain onlookers, China is deadly serious about riding the robotic wave with an eye on its economy.

Cheap manufacturing propelled China to become the world's second largest economy in just a few decades.

But the country's population is aging, leaving it facing a double whammy of a worker shortage and increased labor costs as it gets wealthier.

Shanghai Daily contributes to the topic. 

Click to take a listen. The discussion is between Li Ningjing and Ryan Price, hosts from Studio+, a daily talk show produced by China Plus.