China is a robot superpower – but are the people being left behind?

For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has had a distinct economic bargain with its people — obedience in exchange for economic prosperity. China continues to lead the world in sectors like green technology and robotics, but in recent years, economic growth has slowed. Signs of unrest and unease have appeared. So what happens when the government struggles to hold up its end of the bargain? The BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker speaks with Asma Khalid about the Chinese citizens who feel they are being left behind. Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Cat FarnsworthExecutive producer: Martine PowersMix: Travis EvansDigital producer: Matt PintusSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: Employees work on a production line at a garment factory in Guangzhou, China, July 27, 2026. Credit: Go Nakamura/Reuters