As Trump visits China, will he seek investment to build American “dark factories” of the future?

Zhuhai, southern China — As President Trump prepares for a crucial summit with Xi Jinping in China, one of his key priorities is securing investment from Chinese companies to support American factories. However, a visit to a cutting-edge factory in Zhuhai suggests that the landscape of manufacturing has drastically evolved.

Located in a sprawling industrial complex, Gree’s state-of-the-art facility showcases the future of manufacturing. Here, hundreds of robotic arms work in unison along a massive assembly line, efficiently producing thousands of components for air conditioning units every 10 seconds. This “dark factory” operates round the clock, driven by artificial intelligence.

Gree’s general manager, Chen Huadong, envisions this as the blueprint for intelligent factories of tomorrow. He emphasizes the pivotal role of AI-supported robots in revolutionizing production processes.

With about 60% of Gree’s products exported globally, including a significant presence in North America, the company is at the forefront of China’s manufacturing dominance. Chen highlights that Gree’s expertise extends beyond quality products to the creation of high-tech factories.

Traditionally, a factory of this scale would employ thousands of workers, but Gree’s dark factory operates efficiently with only 1,000 employees, a third of whom are engineers. This shift underscores the accelerating trend of automation replacing manual labor.

Chen predicts a future where physical labor diminishes while the demand for skilled workers to manage AI-driven equipment increases. He foresees a surge in job opportunities in engineering roles as factories worldwide transition towards automation.

As China solidifies its position as a manufacturing powerhouse, the challenge for America lies in adapting to this evolving landscape. The need to upskill and embrace technological advancements is paramount in staying competitive in the global market.