https://www.scmp.com/rss/324822/feed As China bets on tech and innovation to drive its growth, it has placed its chips on several industrial sectors that are expected to play increasingly important roles in development and trade, which will bring fresh opportunities and challenges for stakeholders. SCMP’s China Future Tech is your go-to destination for the latest news, insights, and opinions on these select industries. Explore in-depth coverage of EVs, AI, semiconductors, aerospace, robotics and biomedicine sectors. Follow us to... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A Shenzhen-based tech firm taking part in Hong Kong trade fairs is leveraging the city as a springboard for global expansion, with plans to list locally this year while using its computing power to help enter the North American market. Robert Chan Kwok-cheung, global strategy officer at EngineAI, said on Wednesday the company’s presence in the city was a strategic move to bypass technical and geopolitical hurdles. EngineAI, which is one of Shenzhen’s “eight great guardians of embodied... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348686/shenzhen-robot-maker-turns-hong-kong-computing-power-and-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348686/shenzhen-robot-maker-turns-hong-kong-computing-power-and-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:12:45 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Shares of Hong Kong-listed UBTech jumped after the robotics firm reported a surge in 2025 revenue, driven by an explosive 23-fold rise in humanoid robot sales as China’s robotics sector moves into large-scale production. Revenue from full-size embodied intelligent humanoid robots and related services reached 820 million yuan (US$119 million) last year, making it UBTech’s largest business line. That marked a 2,203 per cent increase from a low base of 35.6 million yuan in 2024, according to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348635/ubtech-surges-leaps-and-bounds-humanoid-robot-sales-jump-23-fold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348635/ubtech-surges-leaps-and-bounds-humanoid-robot-sales-jump-23-fold?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:59:28 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Manycore Tech, a Hangzhou-based developer of spatial design software, has passed its listing hearing in Hong Kong, moving a step closer to an initial public offering (IPO) as it pushes deeper into what it calls “spatial intelligence” – the integration of artificial intelligence with the physical world. The company is one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” – a group of rising start-ups that includes AI developer DeepSeek, robotics firms Unitree Robotics and Deep Robotics, Black Myth creator Game... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang The threat to employment posed by artificial intelligence was not a “robot apocalypse” that would steal jobs, but “algorithmic collusion” that could quietly erode wages and workplace safety, Ekkehard Ernst, the International Labour Organization’s chief macroeconomist, warned in Beijing on Tuesday. While public anxiety frequently centred on the potential for AI to trigger a mass wave of unemployment, Ernst said its disruptive potential had been overestimated. “I don’t think that we are anywhere... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348124/ai-collusion-forcing-down-wages-bigger-threat-job-stealing-robots-ilo-economist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348124/ai-collusion-forcing-down-wages-bigger-threat-job-stealing-robots-ilo-economist?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Organisers of the Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon have confirmed that the second edition of the event featuring humanoid robots will be held next month, with human runners sharing the course with their mechanised counterparts once again. As described by the organisers, “human athletes and robots will compete on the same course”, with the two groups starting the race together on April 19 in Beijing E-Town, with the finish line set in Nanhaizi Park. On the robots’ side, more than 300 humanoid... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348023/humans-robots-run-together-again-beijing-yizhuang-half-marathon-organisers-confirm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348023/humans-robots-run-together-again-beijing-yizhuang-half-marathon-organisers-confirm?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:37:33 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s two biggest makers of lidar sensors for cars, Hesai Group and RoboSense Technology, have ramped up investments in robotics products as the country consolidates its leading position in building a global supply chain for the fast-growing sector. Shanghai-based Hesai, the world’s largest producer of lidar sensors that help cars map terrain, planned to spend 200 million yuan (US$28.9 million) this year to design and manufacture “eyes and muscles” for robots, creating a new growth engine... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347995/chinas-lidar-giants-pivot-robotics-jensen-huang-praises-chinese-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347995/chinas-lidar-giants-pivot-robotics-jensen-huang-praises-chinese-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:12:13 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow A “ChatGPT moment” for China’s humanoid robots – the tipping point at which the technology becomes widely usable – remains years away as persistent challenges in adapting to new tasks and training efficiency continue to hold back the industry, leading experts said on Wednesday at the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan. Despite rapid advances in recent years, humanoid robots were still far from large-scale deployment, with both hardware and software limitations yet to be fully resolved, panellists... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:15:07 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), the government’s investment arm, has teamed up with venture capital firm Gobi Partners and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to launch a fund on Tuesday to invest in technology start-ups spun off from the university’s research breakthroughs, according to an HKIC statement. Gobi-HKU Fund I made two investments at its launch: Manifold Tech, which develops spatial intelligence for robotics, and AilsynBio, which focuses on artificial intelligence-driven drug... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:21:49 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s Unitree Robotics has filed for a long-awaited initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai’s Star Market, seeking to raise about 4.2 billion yuan (US$607.8 million). Widely seen as a bellwether for China’s emerging humanoid robotics industry, Unitree’s listing, if approved, could become a landmark test of investor appetite for so-called embodied AI companies. Here is what you need to know about Unitree, including how it makes a profit while peers are still burning cash, its shareholder... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347611/inside-unitrees-landmark-ipo-what-know-about-chinas-humanoid-giant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347611/inside-unitrees-landmark-ipo-what-know-about-chinas-humanoid-giant?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:45:08 +0000 Emma Zang Emma Zang China is betting artificial intelligence will solve its labour shortage, as policymakers ramp up a nationwide push to deploy AI and robotics across the economy. But it may be worsening a different problem: the erosion of stable jobs for young workers. China’s push has accelerated investment in industrial automation, installing more than half of the world’s robots in 2024 alone and doubling down on AI-enabled production. The strategy is presented as a necessary response to the demographic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347386/why-chinas-ai-automation-push-risky-social-experiment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347386/why-chinas-ai-automation-push-risky-social-experiment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese engineers have designed the country’s first tourist submersible equipped to venture as deep as 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) below the ocean surface, giving eventual new momentum to the luxury travel industry. Engineers at the China Ship Scientific Research Centre in Wuxi, a city west of Shanghai, plan to build a prototype before the end of the year and enter commercial operation by 2030 for as many as four passengers per trip, state-run media outlets said this week. Key components including... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346863/china-developing-first-tourist-submersible-trips-1000-metres-under-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346863/china-developing-first-tourist-submersible-trips-1000-metres-under-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao As China undergoes a sweeping economic transition, its regions are also in the process of embracing change. The powerhouses of yesteryear must adapt or risk falling behind, as traditional industries become less reliable growth drivers and new sectors take prominence. In this series, we explore three representative areas of the country as they attempt to navigate this rapidly changing environment. After a 900km (559-mile) journey at the end of last month’s Chinese New Year holiday, 24-year-old Ma... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347381/kunshan-chinas-foxconn-nerve-centre-old-tech-tries-learn-new-tricks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347381/kunshan-chinas-foxconn-nerve-centre-old-tech-tries-learn-new-tricks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the US robotics industry will have to rely on China’s supply chain despite the US pioneering the market, as the company bets on physical AI and looks to return to the Chinese market. “I think China is formidable,” Huang said when asked about the country’s rise in the robotics industry during a podcast hosted by Silicon Valley tech executives. “The reason for that is because their microelectronics, motors, rare earth and magnets – which are foundational to robotics –... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347427/nvidias-huang-calls-china-formidable-robotics-company-bets-physical-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347427/nvidias-huang-calls-china-formidable-robotics-company-bets-physical-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 10:18:16 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Unitree Robotics, a Hangzhou-based maker of quadruped and humanoid robots, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai’s Star Market, seeking to raise 4.2 billion yuan (US$610 million) as revenue and profits surge on the back of rising interest in embodied artificial intelligence. The listing application has been formally accepted by Shanghai’s exchange following a “preliminary review” on Friday. The 10-year-old company recorded revenue of 1.71 billion yuan last year, up 335 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347365/chinas-unitree-robotics-rides-humanoid-tide-it-targets-us610m-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347365/chinas-unitree-robotics-rides-humanoid-tide-it-targets-us610m-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:00:16 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Artificial intelligence is stepping off the screen and into the physical world, as Chinese engineers integrate OpenClaw, the open-source AI agent that has taken China by storm, into robots capable of executing real-world tasks. Domestic robotics giant Ecovacs unveiled Bajie, a robot integrated with OpenClaw, at the Appliance and Electronics World Expo in Shanghai last week. Equipped with a robotic arm and gripper mounted on a round, vacuum-shaped wheeled base, Bajie demonstrated its ability to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346916/how-chinese-robot-makers-are-tapping-openclaw-take-real-world-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346916/how-chinese-robot-makers-are-tapping-openclaw-take-real-world-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US artificial intelligence and robotics firms have urged lawmakers to take action against Chinese robot manufacturers – singling out Unitree Robotics – citing increased competition and national security risks, in a sign that humanoid robots may emerge as a new battleground in the widening US-China tech rivalry. China’s speed of advancement in humanoid robots is alarming, and the US government should formulate coordinated policies and strategies to counter Chinese firms’ dominance in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s industrial robot production accelerated in the first two months of the year, according to government data, amid Beijing’s policy support and industry efforts to promote wider adoption. China produced 143,608 industrial robots in January and February, an increase of 31 per cent from the same period last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. The growth outpaced the 27 per cent increase in the same period last year, when production totalled 91,088... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346775/chinas-industrial-robot-output-accelerates-factories-ramp-deployment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346775/chinas-industrial-robot-output-accelerates-factories-ramp-deployment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:30:11 +0000 Denis Simon Denis Simon With the conclusion of China’s annual parliamentary “two sessions” meetings, emerging policy priorities suggest its relationship with the United States is entering a new technological era. This year’s government work report set an economic growth target of 4.5 to 5 per cent and announced increased fiscal support for science and technology, including a 10 per cent funding rise for research and development and over 16 per cent for basic research. More than routine budget adjustments, these figures... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346402/two-sessions-signals-china-us-tech-contest-entering-new-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346402/two-sessions-signals-china-us-tech-contest-entering-new-era?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Chinese researchers have developed a wearable human-robot hybrid device that could transform soldiers into mighty “centaurs”, enabling them to push beyond their physical limits while walking and hauling loads in brutal environments. The People’s Liberation Army has already rolled out exoskeleton robot systems to boost soldiers’ stamina and mobility. But this new device, dubbed the “centaur robot”, promises to give an even greater extra push. The system, developed by a group at the Southern... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346287/could-china-build-army-centaurs-non-invasive-cyborg-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346287/could-china-build-army-centaurs-non-invasive-cyborg-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service The hottest new gig-economy job in Los Angeles is performing at home to help artificial intelligence understand how humans move. Hundreds of people from Santa Monica to Los Feliz are strapping cameras on their heads and hands as they do chores at home so bots can watch how they make coffee, scrub toilets, water plants and wash dishes. At a corner table at Urth Caffe downtown, a woman is sitting next to a big black bag. A constant flow of visitors stops by. She slips each a package and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3346501/people-los-angeles-are-wearing-cameras-while-doing-housework-and-getting-paid-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3346501/people-los-angeles-are-wearing-cameras-while-doing-housework-and-getting-paid-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 08:15:08 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Chinese researchers have proposed a semi-humanoid robot mounted on a wheeled platform as part of key infrastructure for the country’s lunar research station slated to take shape by 2035. Combining mobility with humanlike dexterity, the robot is designed to move across the lunar surface while carrying out delicate operations, from construction and maintenance to scientific experiments, sampling and analysis, according to researchers from the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering. Its... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346317/weird-looking-humanoid-robot-could-help-china-conquer-moon-scientists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346317/weird-looking-humanoid-robot-could-help-china-conquer-moon-scientists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee Declining fertility rates have long been viewed as a drag on economic growth, but the outlook may not be entirely bleak for Asian economies such as China, South Korea and Japan, analysts said. Demographic pressure was accelerating investment in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) in these rapidly ageing yet technologically advanced countries, helping offset labour shortages and sustain productivity even as populations shrank, they argued. Analysts at Bank of America (BofA) Global Research... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346475/chinas-ai-adoption-may-limit-economic-fallout-its-rapidly-ageing-population-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346475/chinas-ai-adoption-may-limit-economic-fallout-its-rapidly-ageing-population-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:58:35 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok An elderly woman was taken to hospital in Macau after being “frightened” by a humanoid robot that abruptly appeared behind her before it was escorted away by police, prompting social media users to joke it had been “arrested”. According to authorities, the woman, who was on her phone at the time, was startled when she suddenly noticed the robot behind her near the Lok Yeung Fa Yuen residential complex in Patane last Thursday. Video circulating online shows the woman angrily confronting the robot... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346405/robot-arrested-after-elderly-woman-startled-and-sent-hospital-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346405/robot-arrested-after-elderly-woman-startled-and-sent-hospital-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:09:30 +0000 Coco Feng,Yulu Ao Coco Feng,Yulu Ao Midea Group, the owner of industrial robot giant Kuka, is the latest Chinese company to pledge heavy investment in AI and robotics – another 60 billion yuan (US$8.7 billion) over the next three years – as traditional industries embrace futuristic technologies. The planned expenditure on research and development, with a focus on “AI, embodied intelligence and other cutting-edge areas”, matched its total spending over the past five years, the company announced in Shanghai on Tuesday. The strategic... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346234/chinas-midea-pledges-us87-billion-ai-and-robotics-pivot-automation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346234/chinas-midea-pledges-us87-billion-ai-and-robotics-pivot-automation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:30:10 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen With its cutting-edge humanoid robots busting moves on the world’s most-watched television programme and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz touring a company factory during a state visit, both within the last month, Unitree Robotics – already a household name in China – has seen its profile move into the stratosphere. And local government officials, eager to burnish their economies by strengthening ties to up-and-coming businesses, have made the domestic start-up’s founder and CEO Wang Xingxing a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346115/why-chinas-red-hot-tech-push-leaving-some-traditional-sectors-out-cold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346115/why-chinas-red-hot-tech-push-leaving-some-traditional-sectors-out-cold?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s highest court says that while it handles AI-related cases with care it has allowed room for the country’s artificial intelligence industry to innovate and make mistakes, according to its annual report. Supreme People’s Court president Zhang Jun told the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative body, on Monday that the court had “promoted the orderly development of artificial intelligence” last year. Delivering the supreme court’s work report, Zhang said China’s courts... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345999/chinas-top-court-says-it-treats-ai-cases-care-without-stifling-growth-or-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345999/chinas-top-court-says-it-treats-ai-cases-care-without-stifling-growth-or-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:12:01 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, former heir apparent to Hong Kong property giant New World Development (NWD), plans to spend more time in mainland China and increase his tech investments this year, with a focus on a range of sectors from artificial intelligence to aerospace, echoing China’s latest five-year plan. “If our country can realise [the 15th five-year plan], we would be stable and secure, and our future will definitely be promising,” Cheng, who is a member of the Chinese People’s Political... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/3345918/hong-kong-tycoon-adrian-cheng-doubles-down-tech-step-chinas-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/3345918/hong-kong-tycoon-adrian-cheng-doubles-down-tech-step-chinas-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:12:38 +0000 Yulu Ao,Ann Cao,Wency Chen Yulu Ao,Ann Cao,Wency Chen China’s most powerful economic regions – the Yangtze River Delta and the Greater Bay Area – are racing to meet President Xi Jinping’s call for breakthroughs in core technologies including artificial intelligence, as Beijing maps out priorities for the coming 15th five-year plan during the “two sessions”. As part of the annual meeting on Friday, provincial and municipal leaders of Zhejiang province outlined an ambitious strategy to become a key area of AI development and cement the province’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345770/chinas-zhejiang-guangdong-provinces-vie-heed-xi-jinpings-call-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345770/chinas-zhejiang-guangdong-provinces-vie-heed-xi-jinpings-call-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:41:21 +0000 Coco Feng,Mia Nurmamat,Ann Cao Coco Feng,Mia Nurmamat,Ann Cao China’s policymakers want the digital economy to account for 12.5 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030, as Beijing accelerates its push to build a modern industrial system anchored in advanced manufacturing. The goal represents a significant increase from the 10.5 per cent share achieved in 2025, which was announced on Thursday during the annual “two sessions” parliamentary meetings and exceeded the initial target. A large part of China’s digital economy – activities facilitated by data,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345611/china-bets-ai-manufacturing-integration-narrow-digital-economy-gap-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345611/china-bets-ai-manufacturing-integration-narrow-digital-economy-gap-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Vincent Chow,Wency Chen,Enoch Yiu Vincent Chow,Wency Chen,Enoch Yiu Beijing has emphasised the safe and orderly development of artificial intelligence amid growing global anxiety about the disruptive impact of the rapidly advancing technology, as the country’s leaders put the final stamp of approval on China’s next five-year plan at this year’s “two sessions”. The 15th five-year plan elevates China’s AI Plus initiative as a top national priority, according to a draft version of the document submitted for review to the National People’s Congress, China’s top... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345586/chinas-five-year-plan-emphasises-orderly-ai-development-amid-global-tech-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345586/chinas-five-year-plan-emphasises-orderly-ai-development-amid-global-tech-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:30:08 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng The priorities outlined in drafts of China’s 2026 budget and next five-year plan overlap heavily with the ambitious projects championed by Elon Musk, including the Starlink constellation, electric vehicles, Neuralink interfaces and artificial intelligence. With Beijing allocating 426.42 billion yuan (US$61.7 billion) for the sector, it is positioning frontiers such as future energy, brain-computer interfaces and satellite internet as China’s future industries, with the nation doubling down on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345576/does-chinas-science-budget-boost-confirm-it-listening-everything-elon-musk-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345576/does-chinas-science-budget-boost-confirm-it-listening-everything-elon-musk-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:03:58 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Artificial intelligence will be a focal point of the scientific agenda at Beijing’s annual legislative meeting and coming five-year plan, as China and the US pursue divergent AI paths putting their tech ecosystems at odds. Just over a year ago, Chinese start-up DeepSeek released an open-source AI model that changed how the world viewed the country’s AI capabilities and ambitions. Chinese companies have embraced an open-source approach to AI development, which has rapidly scaled usage of their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345440/two-sessions-two-paths-china-prioritises-ai-integration-amid-us-tech-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345440/two-sessions-two-paths-china-prioritises-ai-integration-amid-us-tech-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:55:08 +0000 Wency Chen,Ann Cao Wency Chen,Ann Cao China’s tech leaders, including Xiaomi’s Lei Jun, 360 Security Technology’s Zhou Hongyi and Xpeng’s He Xiaopeng, have put forward policy proposals ahead of the “two sessions”, as Beijing seeks to accelerate development in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence and robotics. The executives aim to promote the industrial use of humanoid robots, speed up the deployment of AI agents and expand computing infrastructure – areas increasingly viewed as key battlegrounds in the global... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345372/chinas-tech-leaders-urge-faster-ai-humanoid-robot-adoption-two-sessions-proposals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345372/chinas-tech-leaders-urge-faster-ai-humanoid-robot-adoption-two-sessions-proposals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:37:05 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong New Tsinghua University data this week reveals a nearly 20 per cent rise in graduates joining the manufacturing and energy sectors, signalling a major shift in career pursuits in China. The sharp rise seen in Tsinghua’s class of 2025 indicates a renewed interest in traditional industrial sectors among top-tier talent as well as the pull of national strategic priorities. As some of China’s brightest minds enter these fields, the country is poised to intensify its competitive challenge to Western... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345299/manufacturing-talent-boom-why-chinas-smartest-students-are-factory-bound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345299/manufacturing-talent-boom-why-chinas-smartest-students-are-factory-bound?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Jianlu Bi Jianlu Bi On the eve of the Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival Gala, one of the world’s most-watched television broadcasts, delivered more than just festive entertainment. It served as a high-definition manifesto of China’s “embodied AI” supremacy. International observers, from Reuters to El Pais, watched as humanoid robots from start-ups such as Unitree performed complex martial arts, backflips and synchronised dances. As Beijing-based tech analyst Poe Zhao noted, these humanoids represent the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344742/how-us-ceded-robotics-economy-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344742/how-us-ceded-robotics-economy-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Eunice Xu,He Huifeng Eunice Xu,He Huifeng Tech giant Xiaomi has tested self-developed humanoid robots for car production, as the company pushes forward with plans to deploy “a large number” of self-developed humanoid robots in its own factories over the next five years, company founder Lei Jun has said. Lei, also Xiaomi’s CEO and chairman, shared an article on Monday about trial operations in the firm’s car production facility, where the robots were said to have operated autonomously for three continuous hours, successfully completing... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345263/xiaomi-deploy-large-number-humanoid-robots-its-factories-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345263/xiaomi-deploy-large-number-humanoid-robots-its-factories-within-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:16:22 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese smartphone maker Honor has unveiled a “robot phone” and its first humanoid assistant ahead of MWC Barcelona, alongside its latest foldable handset, in an aggressive bet on artificial intelligence-powered hardware to stand out in the fierce Android competition. Honor’s AI Robot Phone, which featured a motorised, three-axis gimbal arm, could track motion and interact with users through camera movement, the company said in a preview of the handset on Sunday in Barcelona. The camera arm and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345042/chinas-honor-debuts-robot-phone-and-humanoid-companion-push-ai-hardware?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345042/chinas-honor-debuts-robot-phone-and-humanoid-companion-push-ai-hardware?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:01:07 +0000 Ji Siqi,Coco Feng,Xinyi Wu Ji Siqi,Coco Feng,Xinyi Wu On a day typically considered one of the happiest on the calendar for Chinese workers – the eve of Chinese New Year, when families gather for dinner in the midst of an extended public holiday – the annual Spring Festival Gala, the world’s most-watched television programme, left some in the viewing audience with a sense of profound disillusionment. As a troupe of humanoid robots break-danced, flipped, swung swords and performed comedy sketches at the gala, domestic AI brands occupied the show’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344920/iron-rice-bowl-vs-algorithm-why-chinas-economy-may-better-withstand-ai-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344920/iron-rice-bowl-vs-algorithm-why-chinas-economy-may-better-withstand-ai-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse German carmaker BMW said on Friday that it planned to deploy two AI-powered humanoid robots in a factory in a pilot programme for the first time this year. Dubbed Aeon and developed by the Swedish company Hexagon, the black-and-white robots stand 1.65 metres (5.4 feet) tall, weigh 60kg (132 pounds) and move on two wheels. They can autonomously manipulate and move components within a factory where the space has been previously fully scanned and digitised. A months-long pilot phase will start this... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344940/bmw-trial-humanoid-robots-german-factory-china-competition-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344940/bmw-trial-humanoid-robots-german-factory-china-competition-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:21:44 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited China’s eastern tech hub of Hangzhou on Thursday and met leading figures including those from Alibaba Group Holding and Unitree Robotics, signalling growing international recognition of the country’s robotics and artificial intelligence technologies. Merz had lunch and took group photos with local entrepreneurs, including Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Yongming and Unitree founder and CEO Wang Xingxing, according to a social media account run by Chinese state... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344835/germanys-merz-meets-chinas-tech-vanguard-including-alibaba-and-unitree-ceos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344835/germanys-merz-meets-chinas-tech-vanguard-including-alibaba-and-unitree-ceos?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:23:19 +0000 Kevin Li,Lo Hoi-ying Kevin Li,Lo Hoi-ying A proposed high-level committee that will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) could help tech start-ups in Hong Kong mitigate legal and geopolitical challenges, as well as gain access to important databases for model training, market leaders have said. But the experts also told the South China Morning Post on Thursday that the committee, which was proposed in the latest budget and will be led by the city’s finance chief, would need to involve a diverse panel of experts and be “action-driven”... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344748/ai-committee-can-help-hong-kong-start-ups-tackle-legal-geopolitical-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344748/ai-committee-can-help-hong-kong-start-ups-tackle-legal-geopolitical-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:38:36 +0000 Zongshuai Fan Zongshuai Fan Against the news of China’s record trade surplus of US$1.19 trillion last year, some have warned it is making trade impossible, arguing that the rest of the world has fewer goods they can sell, or are willing to sell, to China. Critics point to China’s competitive edge in producing better and cheaper goods. For Beijing, this feels less like criticism and more like a subtle compliment. In many ways, it affirms China’s long-term strategy to bolster its global manufacturing. Supporting... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344508/how-little-giants-help-china-defend-its-manufacturing-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344508/how-little-giants-help-china-defend-its-manufacturing-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat Xiaomi is doubling down on its five-year plan for core technologies including chips, artificial intelligence and operating systems, aiming to position itself as a deep-tech player amid China’s self-reliance push, while peers such as Li Auto and Xpeng accelerate moves into humanoid robotics. Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of the Beijing-based smartphone and electric vehicle giant, on Tuesday said private technology firms must deepen investment in core technologies and speed up the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344572/xiaomi-deepens-push-chips-and-ai-peers-race-humanoid-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344572/xiaomi-deepens-push-chips-and-ai-peers-race-humanoid-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:29:56 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Robots have taken another step closer to playing a mainstream role in human society with an appearance on China’s biggest holiday television show of the year. The sight of humanoids alongside flesh-and-blood performers sparked an online buying spree and offered more proof that the world must prepare for the arrival of the machines. The devices created by the nation’s leading humanoid robotics companies dominated the Spring Festival Gala last week. They did martial arts backflips, performed in a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344415/china-takes-robots-human-touch-needed-more-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344415/china-takes-robots-human-touch-needed-more-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Last August, Beijing hosted the world’s first ever robotics competition, hailed as the Olympics for robotics, where human-shaped biped robots competed in sports events. Opening the grand show was a piano piece performed by a human pianist and a humanoid robot developed by Beijing-based start-up LinkerBot, which specialises in making dexterous hands for humanoids. The LinkerBot robot pianist was equipped with the company’s L6 mode of dexterous hands, designed for refined and delicate operations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Hong Kong’s tech equity benchmark is struggling to balance the artificial intelligence frenzy and picking the right industry leaders, leading to its underperformance this year, according to analysts. The Hang Seng Tech Index, which comprises 30 technology-related companies including Tencent Holdings, Alibaba Group Holding and Meituan, has fallen 5.5 per cent this year up to Friday, giving up some of last year’s 23.5 per cent gains. In contrast, the broad-based Hang Seng Index has risen 0.3 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3344255/why-hang-seng-tech-index-doldrums-while-ai-shares-are-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3344255/why-hang-seng-tech-index-doldrums-while-ai-shares-are-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:15:07 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu US software company OpenMind, according to founder and CEO Jan Liphardt, caused a commotion last year at a park in San Francisco where the firm shot a promotional video. “A crowd of people came, children came running, cars stopped and the police came,” he said, because “there was a robot in the park”. In an interview, Liphardt told the South China Morning Post that such a scenario would have been treated differently on the other side of the world. “If a [Unitree] G1 walked across the street in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344172/software-connection-us-firm-opens-doors-global-adoption-chinas-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344172/software-connection-us-firm-opens-doors-global-adoption-chinas-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Gerui Wang Gerui Wang The 2026 Spring Festival Gala, one of the world’s most-watched television events, featured a dazzling array of humanoid robots. They performed martial arts, executed intricate sword dances and even took part in a comedy skit alongside human celebrities. While parts of the world still view humanoid robots with a mixture of fear and suspicion, as potential job-stealers or sci-fi villains, China is increasingly embracing them as partners in work, entertainment and daily life. Amid the escalating... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344083/humans-vs-robots-china-begs-disagree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344083/humans-vs-robots-china-begs-disagree?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese tech companies from Tencent Holdings to AgiBot have named millennials and even Gen Z talent as chief scientists to lead cutting-edge research into artificial intelligence and robotics. The most watched is Vinces Yao Shunyu, who turns 28 this year. He is a former researcher at OpenAI and joined Tencent in December as chief AI scientist under the CEO’s office, reporting directly to president Martin Lau Chi-ping. A graduate of Princeton University and Tsinghua University, Yao was a core... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343042/chinese-ai-and-robotics-firms-appoint-millennial-and-gen-z-rising-stars-chief-scientists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343042/chinese-ai-and-robotics-firms-appoint-millennial-and-gen-z-rising-stars-chief-scientists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:00:07 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Consumer interest in robots has surged in China since several leading models appeared on stage at Monday’s Spring Festival Gala, with delivery dates pushed as far back as late April. This development follows the featuring of robots from four domestic firms – Unitree Robotics, Magiclab, Galbot and Noetix – at the event after they signed partnerships reportedly worth around 100 million yuan (US$14 million). One of the biggest beneficiaries was Hangzhou-based Unitree, whose G1 humanoid robots... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343908/robotics-firms-see-backlog-orders-after-humanoids-steal-show-spring-festival-gala?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343908/robotics-firms-see-backlog-orders-after-humanoids-steal-show-spring-festival-gala?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:00:12 +0000