Barclays Says Robots May Offset 60% of China’s Population Slump

China’s deployment of humanoid robots could offset as much as 60% of its projected decline in the labor force by 2035, according to Barclays Plc, helping sustain the world’s largest industrial base as the population shrinks at a pace not seen in decades.

By incorporating a set of demographic forecasts and assuming the participation rate remains at 65%, the British bank estimates the workforce might shrink by 37 million within the next decade. A decline on such a scale would constrain a manufacturing sector that accounts for roughly a quarter of China’s economy.