Visitors observe a robot workstation at an intelligent robot research institute in Shandong, June 21, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - China became the world's largest consumer market of robots for the second consecutive year, according to statistics released by China Robot Industry Alliance (CRIA) lately.

The sales of robots in China increased by 54.6 percent in 2014 to around 57,000 units, accounting for 25 percent of global total.

Data shows that nearly 17,000 units were made in China with a value approaching 3 billion yuan (about 474 million U.S. dollars),or an increase of 60 percent from 2013.

CRIA predicted that the total number of robots used in China's manufacturing industry in 2015 will keep growing rapidly.

Under the national plan "Made in China 2025", designed to make China a world manufacturing power, robot industry has become one of the hottest.

Industrial robots have been applied in auto-making, electronic and food industries in the country, aside from the military, aviation, medical equipment as well as metal works.

Analysts say, with real needs for automatic dependency in many areas, rising labor costs and negative work environment in certain industries, potential market of robots in China will be expanding.

Besides,due to population characteristics, service robots will get more attention, especially their use in medical field.