After a childhood of privation, Zhang Xin educated herself abroad and rode China’s real-estate boom to become a billionaire. Then she left it all behind.

In the heart of western China, an extraordinary factory is attracting all eyes. Here, textile production takes place without crowds of workers. Artificial intelligence and industrial robots are reshaping the contours of a historic sector with new energy.

China’s second-in-command Li Qiang had a self-deprecating response when confronted with criticism from a top European Union official that Beijing’s government subsidies played a role in contributing to global imbalances in manufacturing output and demand.

The biggest workforce in the world has undergone an extraordinary transformation. China’s farm labourers and industrial proletariat have been joined by an army of gig workers. Tens of millions now use tech platforms to find jobs for fleeting periods ...

China has turned a science fiction trope into industrial policy, opening a dedicated “robot school” where humanoid machines are drilled in everything from factory work to household chores. The project is part of a broader national push to turn ...