https://www.scmp.com/rss/521190/feed Unitree Robotics is a company known for developing and manufacturing quadruped and humanoid robots. It is part of a cohort of high-profile start-ups based in Hangzhou known as the “six little dragons”. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 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 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 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 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Several years ago, prime ground-floor spaces in major shopping malls across Beijing and Shanghai’s business districts were commonly occupied by electric vehicle (EV) showrooms, with staff often escorting customers to car parks for test drives. Many of these stores have now closed amid sluggish EV sales – yet mall owners have not been left disappointed. Instead, a new retail landscape is emerging, filled with tenants who are proving to be even more effective at drawing crowds and boosting rental... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346537/china-mall-shuffle-evs-exit-whos-filling-ground-floor-showrooms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346537/china-mall-shuffle-evs-exit-whos-filling-ground-floor-showrooms?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 04:00:12 +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 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 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 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian The momentum in China’s venture-capital industry, which is recovering after years of decline, is likely to continue this year, mainly bolstered by government financing, but an expert warned that the lack of funding diversity poses a hidden risk. Fundraising picked up in 2025, with most of the gains coming from government sources, as central policymakers loosened rules to allow local governments to issue more bonds to finance government guidance funds, according to a report released on Tuesday by... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345502/chinas-venture-capital-revival-fuelled-state-cash-faces-risk-losing-momentum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345502/chinas-venture-capital-revival-fuelled-state-cash-faces-risk-losing-momentum?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:20:41 +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 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the third entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. In China’s eastern province of Zhejiang, a sprawling laboratory for Beijing’s “common prosperity” campaign to reduce income inequality, statistics suggest success: between 2021... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344302/how-china-could-narrow-tech-hubs-income-gap-and-avoid-silicon-valleys-fate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344302/how-china-could-narrow-tech-hubs-income-gap-and-avoid-silicon-valleys-fate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 02:00:12 +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 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has concluded his first visit to China, hailing the “good cooperation” with Beijing as Berlin seeks to rebalance ties with its biggest trading partner amid the unpredictability of the Trump administration. Merz characterised the visit as “worthwhile”, noting that China would buy up to 120 additional aircraft from Airbus SE. The company operates two assembly lines in the northern port city of Tianjin that mainly produce A320 jets for Chinese carriers. In his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344777/merz-leaves-china-bargaining-chips-looming-trump-trade-battle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344777/merz-leaves-china-bargaining-chips-looming-trump-trade-battle?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:25:08 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China and Germany have pledged to elevate ties as they seek to rebalance relations amid global uncertainties. Chinese President Xi Jinping told visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Beijing on Wednesday that he was “willing to work together with the chancellor to continuously advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Germany to new levels”. Merz echoed Xi’s call to strengthen bilateral relations, according to state broadcaster CCTV. “The more turbulent and complex... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344618/meeting-merz-xi-urges-efforts-advance-china-germany-ties-new-levels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344618/meeting-merz-xi-urges-efforts-advance-china-germany-ties-new-levels?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:34:57 +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 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 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 Cao Jiaxuan,Agence France-Presse Cao Jiaxuan,Agence France-Presse German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit China from Wednesday, shortly after the Lunar New Year holiday, according to the chancellor’s spokesman. “This date was proposed by the Chinese side,” spokesman Sebastian Hille said on Friday. “We consider this offer to come right at the beginning of the year to be a good omen.” Merz will leave Berlin on Tuesday for his first official China visit since he took office in May. He is expected to be welcomed in Beijing on Wednesday by Premier Li Qiang... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344174/germanys-merz-latest-european-leader-visit-china-amid-tensions-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344174/germanys-merz-latest-european-leader-visit-china-amid-tensions-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 13:25:32 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s “big tech” giants – including Alibaba Group Holding, ByteDance and Tencent Holdings – released preliminary figures showing impressive gains for their new flagship artificial intelligence offerings during this year’s Spring Festival Gala marketing blitz. While red packet giveaways and extensive advertising campaigns have been a fixture of past Lunar New Year holidays, this year’s multi-billion-yuan competition surrounding a crop of new artificial intelligence products was so intense that... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344017/chinas-tech-giants-report-huge-gains-spring-festival-marketing-blitz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344017/chinas-tech-giants-report-huge-gains-spring-festival-marketing-blitz?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:00:10 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An Indian professor has falsely suggested a Chinese-made robot dog displayed at a major AI summit was developed by her university, prompting backlash in a situation politicians derided as “embarrassing” on Wednesday. The silver mechanical dog, a model sold by Chinese start-up Unitree, appeared at a booth run by the private Galgotias University at this week’s AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Following online uproar over the professor’s claim in a televised interview, Galgotias said that while it... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343900/indian-universitys-chinese-robot-dog-claim-ai-impact-summit-slammed-shameless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343900/indian-universitys-chinese-robot-dog-claim-ai-impact-summit-slammed-shameless?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:19:02 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s Unitree Robotics plans to ship as many as 20,000 humanoid robots this year, up from about 5,500 in 2025, according to chief executive Wang Xingxing, after the company drew global attention with its appearance at Monday night’s Spring Festival Gala. Speaking to domestic tech outlet 36Kr after the show, Wang said global humanoid robot shipments could reach “tens of thousands” this year, with Unitree accounting for roughly 10,000 to 20,000 units of that total. The projection follows another... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343825/kung-fu-somersaults-and-scale-unitree-eyes-20000-robot-output-2026-after-gala?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343825/kung-fu-somersaults-and-scale-unitree-eyes-20000-robot-output-2026-after-gala?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:32:46 +0000 Wency Chen,Vincent Chow Wency Chen,Vincent Chow China’s leading humanoid robotics companies dominated the opening of this year’s Spring Festival Gala, the annual variety spectacle staged by state broadcaster CCTV that offers a rare nationwide marketing platform akin to the US Super Bowl, highlighting the central role of the industry in Beijing’s industrial policy. Four robotics firms – Hangzhou-based Unitree, Wuxi-based Magiclab, Beijing-based Galbot and Noetix – had announced partnerships with this year’s gala in deals said to be valued at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343634/chinas-tech-companies-vie-attention-cctvs-festival-gala-years-biggest-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3343634/chinas-tech-companies-vie-attention-cctvs-festival-gala-years-biggest-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang The global frenzy around embodied intelligence is still in its infancy and could ultimately surpass the impact of the mobile internet, according to the founder of Chinese robotics pioneer Unitree Robotics. Wang Xingxing, the company’s CEO, told state broadcaster CCTV in an interview scheduled to air on Saturday that the sector remained in a “climbing phase” rather than nearing a peak. He said a definitive breakthrough in large-scale artificial intelligence models for robotics could trigger a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343476/unitree-bets-embodied-ai-leap-will-drive-next-wave-global-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343476/unitree-bets-embodied-ai-leap-will-drive-next-wave-global-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Dominik Mierzejewski Dominik Mierzejewski As we get ready for the Year of the Horse, preparations for the Spring Festival Gala, the most important event on China’s television calendar, are well under way. Most viewers will see choreography, spectacle and national pride – as well as humanoid robots. Policymakers and markets, however, should see something else: a carefully staged signal of how China’s political economy is positioning for the next cycle of industrial overcapacity – and its global consequences. The gala has become a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342407/after-solar-panels-and-evs-overcapacity-coming-chinas-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342407/after-solar-panels-and-evs-overcapacity-coming-chinas-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng In an intensifying giveaway war among artificial intelligence apps in China, TikTok parent ByteDance’s Doubao chatbot has joined the fray to offer robots and drones, following multibillion-yuan campaigns from Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings to hand out cash and bubble tea. ByteDance said on Tuesday that it planned to give more than 100,000 tech products as gifts, as well as red packets of up to 8,888 yuan (US$1,284), through lucky draws on the Doubao app on the eve of Lunar New... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3343104/bytedance-joins-alibaba-tencent-offer-freebies-bid-acquire-ai-app-users?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3343104/bytedance-joins-alibaba-tencent-offer-freebies-bid-acquire-ai-app-users?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Before humanoid robots realise their longer-term potential as efficient industrial workers, a more immediate role is emerging in China: on-demand entertainment. For 999 yuan (US$145), customers can now rent a humanoid robot to dance, perform and pose to order. That proposition is being trialled by Botshare – known in Chinese as Qingtianzu, or “Optimus rent” – which last weekend rolled out a “999 yuan robot experience programme for everyone” ahead of Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342943/factory-floor-dance-floor-humanoids-find-path-market-us145?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342943/factory-floor-dance-floor-humanoids-find-path-market-us145?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese robotics firms continue to secure fresh financing, including from state-backed funds, as investors shift focus from hardware to the “brains” of humanoids – the software and operating systems that underpin their intelligence. Alongside hardware-centric companies like Unitree Robotics, a new wave of firms is emerging with capital directed towards robotic software and operating systems. Shenzhen-based humanoid robot maker LimX Dynamics announced on Monday the completion of its US$200... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:00:38 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng Motors showcased its humanoid robot in front of hundreds of onlookers at a mall in the southern metropolis of Shenzhen over the weekend, but a backwards flop became headlines, reflecting the bumpy journey ahead for such machines. After completing a smooth catwalk to the centre of the audience on Saturday, Iron, the 178cm robot said to walk with humanlike grace, lost its balance and fell backwards when standing still on the stage, according to multiple... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342102/when-robot-topples-chinas-xpeng-deals-fallout-humanoids-public-plunge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342102/when-robot-topples-chinas-xpeng-deals-fallout-humanoids-public-plunge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Morgan Stanley expects China’s humanoid robot sales to grow 133 per cent to 28,000 units this year, while noting that falling production costs will gradually make owning robots more accessible. The US investment bank revised its forecast from the 14,000 units previously on the back of the rapid growth of the industry in the world’s second largest economy. The cost of materials to produce robots in China, home to most of the industry’s supply chain, was set to drop 16 per cent this year, the bank... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3341646/morgan-stanley-expects-chinas-humanoid-robot-sales-double-revised-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3341646/morgan-stanley-expects-chinas-humanoid-robot-sales-double-revised-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Ni Tao Ni Tao Hangzhou’s space industry got off to a flying start in 2026. On January 7, China’s leading private rocket firm Space Epoch broke ground on a medium-to-large liquid rocket assembly, testing and reuse facility in Hangzhou’s Qiantang district. Basing this in the port city allows the rockets to be transported by sea to launch areas in the East China Sea and recovered the same way. Logistics alone do not explain the decision. Space Epoch is plugging into an industrial ecosystem Hangzhou has been... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo In the science and tech race, China is steadily advancing while America is retreating. That’s the conclusion of multiple Western studies. US President Donald Trump’s own policies have greatly contributed to this trajectory. Several salient features in this race for supremacy have been identified: China’s highly focused state support of science and tech, America’s federal defunding of them, and a nation of engineers and science graduates versus a nation of lawyers. “China is an engineering state... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341319/steadfast-state-support-key-china-winning-tech-race-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341319/steadfast-state-support-key-china-winning-tech-race-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s Eyou Robot Technology has launched the world’s first automated production line for robot joints, positioning itself to capture growth ahead of a projected surge in humanoid robot shipments. The plant, based in Pudong, Shanghai, opened last Wednesday with an annual capacity of 100,000 units, with scope to triple output. Founded in 2018, Eyou supplies domestic humanoid robot makers, including industry leader AgiBot. The company achieved mass production of its products in 2023, with annual... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China aims to make breakthroughs in artificial intelligence chips, accelerate 6G development and establish key benchmarks for humanoid robotics, as the country kicks off its new five-year plan prioritising innovation as a key driver of economic growth. To promote the development of the AI industry, the government was targeting breakthroughs in core technologies such as training chips and heterogeneous computing, officials from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said at a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3340692/beijing-outlines-tech-push-focus-ai-6g-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3340692/beijing-outlines-tech-push-focus-ai-6g-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:08:14 +0000 Iris Deng,Coco Feng,Wency Chen Iris Deng,Coco Feng,Wency Chen China’s Unitree Robotics shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, as the Hangzhou-based company ramped up production ahead of its planned listing on the mainland. That number – covering “pure” full-body, bipedal humanoid models – exceeded those of its American peers such as Tesla, Figure AI and Agility Robotics, which shipped 150 humanoid robots each last year, according to market research firm Omdia. Unitree saw its annual output... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340446/chinas-unitree-ships-more-5500-humanoid-robots-2025-surpassing-us-peers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340446/chinas-unitree-ships-more-5500-humanoid-robots-2025-surpassing-us-peers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:15:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China accounted for more than four out of five humanoid robot installations globally in 2025, driven by domestic start-ups AgiBot and Unitree Robotics, as mass production and commercialisation accelerated, according to a report by Counterpoint Research. A total of 16,000 humanoid robots were installed globally in 2025, mainly for data collection and research, as well as in the logistics, manufacturing, and automotive sectors, according to Counterpoint data released on Wednesday. The market was... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3340142/china-dominates-global-humanoid-robot-market-over-80-installations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3340142/china-dominates-global-humanoid-robot-market-over-80-installations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s eastern tech powerhouse Zhejiang, home to giants like Alibaba and the humanoid robotics start-up Unitree, has set clear targets to develop cutting-chips and chipmaking equipment over the next five years. The province is the latest locality to prioritise innovation under its new five-year plan. It joins other hubs, including Shenzhen and Shanghai, that have thrown their weight behind Beijing’s nationwide strategy to develop indigenous technologies amid an intensifying rivalry with the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340050/chinas-zhejiang-targets-3-7-nanometre-ai-chip-breakthroughs-counter-us-chokehold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340050/chinas-zhejiang-targets-3-7-nanometre-ai-chip-breakthroughs-counter-us-chokehold?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 22:00:17 +0000 Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Humanoid robot guides, stair-climbing robo-vacuum cleaners and exoskeletons for hikers were all among the exhibits at the world’s largest electronics show as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly finds a role in the physical world. Chinese companies made up about a quarter of the 4,000-plus exhibitors at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), underlining how the country is at the forefront of developments that could turn AI-powered robots into mainstream household items. The large Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:11:13 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Shanghai-based AgiBot topped global humanoid robot shipments in 2025, with nearly a 38 per cent share, as China’s robotics firms dominated the market, leaving in the dust major US players like Elon Musk’s Tesla. According to data released on Thursday by Omdia, AgiBot shipped 5,168 humanoid robots last year to lead five other Chinese companies in the research firm’s top 10 list. Unitree Robotics, headquartered in Hangzhou, ranked second with 4,200 humanoids shipped last year, which accounted for... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339346/chinese-firms-outpace-us-rivals-2025-humanoid-robot-shipments-agibot-takes-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339346/chinese-firms-outpace-us-rivals-2025-humanoid-robot-shipments-agibot-takes-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China’s humanoid robot and artificial intelligence hardware makers are expected to be out in force next week at CES, the annual consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, to show their latest innovations to a global audience amid an escalating US-China tech rivalry. Nearly a dozen well-known humanoid robot manufacturers – including Unitree Robotics, AgiBot, Galbot, Engine AI, Noetix Robotics and state-backed X-Humanoid, also known as the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre – are expected... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338600/chinas-humanoid-robot-makers-hong-kong-start-ups-set-dazzle-ces-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338600/chinas-humanoid-robot-makers-hong-kong-start-ups-set-dazzle-ces-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang On the last day of 2025, DeepSeek published a new technical paper, with founder and CEO Liang Wenfeng among the 19 co-authors, about “manifold-constrained hyper-connections” – a general framework for training artificial intelligence systems at scale, which suggested “promising directions for the evolution of foundational models”. That release was a fitting reminder to the world, especially during the peak of the Christmas holiday season, about Chinese AI companies’ sharpened focus on innovation... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3338528/tech-war-china-takes-confident-strides-develop-more-ai-innovation-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3338528/tech-war-china-takes-confident-strides-develop-more-ai-innovation-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 03:00:22 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Volcano Engine, the cloud computing unit of Chinese tech giant ByteDance, said on Monday it has secured an “exclusive AI cloud partnership” with the Spring Festival Gala – a marquee slot that underlines the company’s ambition to turn its artificial intelligence cloud business into a national-scale platform. Volcano Engine said the deal – built on “cutting-edge multimodal large models and cloud computing technologies” – would see it “play a pivotal role in broadcasting, online interactions and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3338038/bytedances-volcano-engine-lands-exclusive-ai-cloud-slot-spring-festival-gala?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3338038/bytedances-volcano-engine-lands-exclusive-ai-cloud-slot-spring-festival-gala?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:00:16 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Images of robotic backup dancers performing at a recent pop concert in China were widely shared for good reason. The videos showed G1 humanoids from Chinese company Unitree Robotics doing front flips and other moves synchronised with singer Wang Leehom and other humans on stage. The performance got viral international attention with a repost by Elon Musk. The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, which is also making humanoid robots, described it simply as “impressive”. The robots in shimmery tops and black... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337711/keep-humans-mind-china-races-ahead-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3337711/keep-humans-mind-china-races-ahead-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Wency Chen,Coco Feng Wency Chen,Coco Feng China’s biggest tech companies and a clutch of fast-rising consumer electronics brands are battling for coveted sponsorship slots at the Spring Festival Gala, as intensifying competition in artificial intelligence turns the country’s most watched television broadcast into a rare nationwide marketing battleground. Major players including ByteDance, Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding had all held discussions with state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) over high-stakes... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337806/tech-giants-go-prime-time-fight-chinas-biggest-audience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3337806/tech-giants-go-prime-time-fight-chinas-biggest-audience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000