LEC Robotics, a division of London Export Corporation, is launching a platform early next year to directly link Chinese robotics manufacturers with Western buyers, using AI agents, structured filing systems, and specialized translation. Chairman Jack Perry, former professional footballer and third-generation leader of the historic 48 Group, told Startupbusiness the platform—called the “Taobao of Robotics,” referring to Alibaba’s e-commerce platform—aims to solve the communication bottleneck keeping Chinese suppliers and European customers apart. Perry, whose grandfather Jack Perry Sr. led the 1953 British trade mission to Beijing that produced the first commercial agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the West, said the “new world” of physical AI is an unfolding reality and Europe faces a time-sensitive economic opportunity if it overcomes political and strategic paralysis. He regards China’s manufacturing advantage as a win-win opportunity, saying “We need each other.” The platform creates a two-way knowledge and commercial flow: Chinese companies upload product documentation, videos, technical details, and company information into a structured filing system, while Western buyers can query it—for example, “I’m looking for a pizza robot”—and receive relevant options. An AI agent trained on robotics conversations surfaces matches, while a specialized translation agent handles communication.