https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Wency Chen Wency Chen This article was first published by The Korea Times in a partnership with the South China Morning Post. Chinese humanoid robot makers are accelerating efforts to gain a foothold in South Korea, moving beyond dance performances and showroom displays to factory trials and commercial deployments, as Seoul ramps up investment in physical artificial intelligence. A growing number of Chinese robotics companies – including Hong Kong-listed UBTech Robotics, start-up Anyverse Dynamics, Shanghai-based... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371888/chinas-humanoid-robots-hunt-work-south-korea-seoul-bets-physical-ai https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371888/chinas-humanoid-robots-hunt-work-south-korea-seoul-bets-physical-ai Fri, 23 Oct 2026 08:00:33 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Unitree Robotics is developing a “self-evolving” feedback loop designed to allow humanoid robots to write code, run simulations and improve their real-world performance independently, founder Wang Xingxing said, in a move that mirrors a broader push towards “self-improving” artificial intelligence. Speaking on Thursday at a physical AI conference hosted by Unitree in Hangzhou, Wang unveiled the project, dubbed “Unitree Rehearsal”, which he called the company’s most important initiative of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371818/unitree-developing-ai-system-let-humanoid-robots-improve-themselves https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371818/unitree-developing-ai-system-let-humanoid-robots-improve-themselves Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:30:12 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang A knife-wielding intruder is confronted. A car is lifted to free a trapped victim. A pedestrian is pulled from the path of an oncoming vehicle. The scenes described are not from a Hollywood blockbuster, but a promotional clip for a new “guardian” robot created by the Chinese technology firm Unitree Robotics. The footage for the H2-X model, released on Wednesday, underscores a wider shift in strategy by the Hangzhou-based firm, as it focuses on finding practical, real-world uses for its athletic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371683/chinese-firm-unveils-guardian-robot-can-disarm-attackers-lift-cars https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371683/chinese-firm-unveils-guardian-robot-can-disarm-attackers-lift-cars Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Christina Zhao Christina Zhao The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) opened the city’s first experimental hub for embodied artificial intelligence on Thursday with the participation of seven mainland and Hong Kong companies, including industry leaders Unitree Robotics and Galbot, as the city looks to carve out a role in the global robotics boom. Located at the HKPC Building in Kowloon Tong, the Embodied AI International Applications Hub, housed under the HKPC’s industrial AI and robotics centre, features simulated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371095/hong-kong-vies-role-robotics-boom-launch-embodied-ai-hub https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3371095/hong-kong-vies-role-robotics-boom-launch-embodied-ai-hub Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:00:39 +0000 Han Li Han Li The world is on the cusp of a “China shock 3.0” driven by exports of artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and robots, which could hit harder than the current wave, a leading economist on China has said. “We are already at the starting point of the China shock 3.0,” Alicia Garcia-Herrero, a senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel and chief economist for Asia-Pacific at investment bank Natixis, told the South China Morning Post from Taipei after a virtual panel hosted by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370925/china-shock-30-be-driven-ai-biotech-and-robot-exports-economist-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370925/china-shock-30-be-driven-ai-biotech-and-robot-exports-economist-says Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:00:47 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow US start-up OpenAI’s latest advances in artificial intelligence may be a tipping point that leads to a breakthrough for the robotics industry as soon as next year, according to the founder of Chinese giant Unitree Robotics. Wang Xingxing, also the CEO of the Hangzhou-based company, said on Monday that OpenAI’s recently released GPT-6 model prompted expectations that a breakthrough could happen “within one or two years”. “It’s possible that, say, a GPT-7 model released next year could directly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3370603/openais-gpt-6-may-lead-robotics-breakthrough-soon-next-year-unitree-founder https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3370603/openais-gpt-6-may-lead-robotics-breakthrough-soon-next-year-unitree-founder Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Ni Tao Ni Tao A year ago, a Unitree robot kickboxing could light up social media. When DeepSeek released its latest open-source artificial intelligence (AI) model, developers around the world rushed to test it. This year, however, Hangzhou’s latest technology bets have barely made a ripple. The city’s “New Eight Steeds” – eight deep-tech companies in fields ranging from smart glasses and inference graphic processing units (GPUs) to compute-in-memory chips and space computing – are a very different proposition... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370174/hangzhou-doubling-down-tech-minus-viral-hype https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370174/hangzhou-doubling-down-tech-minus-viral-hype Sun, 11 Oct 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Even as geopolitical frictions and market swings unsettle venture investors, Hong Kong-founded Hermitage Capital is sticking to a global strategy of backing frontier technology companies wherever they emerge. With a US$1.5 billion war chest that is 80 per cent in US dollars, with the remainder in renminbi, the private equity firm is ramping up investments across artificial intelligence, semiconductors and robotics, mainly in the US and China, capitalising on a market turnaround triggered by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3369872/hong-kongs-hermitage-capital-stays-devoted-top-tier-tech-stocks-amid-jitters https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3369872/hong-kongs-hermitage-capital-stays-devoted-top-tier-tech-stocks-amid-jitters Tue, 06 Oct 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Eve Qiao Eve Qiao China is ramping up its efforts to bring young Americans to China, and ready to be seen as a country concerned with environmental protection, lifting people out of poverty, protecting minority cultures and building the technology of the future. During his trip to the United States last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country aimed to welcome 100,000 young Americans on exchange or study trips over the next five years. That builds on an earlier target announced in 2023 that set the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369609/if-young-us-people-accept-xis-invitation-china-what-will-beijing-show-them https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369609/if-young-us-people-accept-xis-invitation-china-what-will-beijing-show-them Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:00:21 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong A new embodied AI model known as Maxwell – developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Artificial Intelligence for Industries – has shot to first place on the Meta-World benchmark for robot physical tasks. Maxwell scored 91.9 – the highest ever recorded on the simulation benchmark. Meta-World was set up by researchers from Stanford University, UC Berkeley and other institutions to evaluate how well robots perform 50 everyday physical tasks. They range from grasping and carrying to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3369420/maxwell-smart-new-chinese-embodied-model-tops-global-ai-ranking-physical-tasks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3369420/maxwell-smart-new-chinese-embodied-model-tops-global-ai-ranking-physical-tasks Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:00:06 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng As AI becomes an increasingly important part of China’s economic transformation, economists and industry leaders are raising concerns about two potential risks: inflated valuations for humanoid robotics companies and the technology widening the wealth gap between rich and poor. Daniel Zhang, managing partner of FirstLight Capital and former chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group Holding, said the sharp fall in some Chinese humanoid robotics stocks reflected expectations that had become... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368887/chinas-ai-led-transformation-taking-shape-why-are-some-economists-urging-caution https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368887/chinas-ai-led-transformation-taking-shape-why-are-some-economists-urging-caution Sat, 26 Sep 2026 05:45:04 +0000 Zoe SL Chan Zoe SL Chan Beijing’s recent tightening of approvals for humanoid robot makers seeking initial public offerings (IPOs) poses no threat to companies with clear commercialisation strategies, as funding channels remain wide open for qualified players, according to Deloitte China. “Market funds are shifting from the ‘blind rush’ of the past to ‘fine screening’,” said Dick Kay, Deloitte China’s capital market services group national leader, at a press conference on Thursday. Investors and regulators now placed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3368647/chinas-humanoid-robot-ipo-slowdown-no-threat-firms-genuine-strength-deloitte https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3368647/chinas-humanoid-robot-ipo-slowdown-no-threat-firms-genuine-strength-deloitte Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:08:50 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong A more than 40 per cent slump in Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics since listing has sounded regulatory caution for the industry, with speculation swirling that Beijing may tighten approval of the peer listings. The regulators would heighten scrutiny over humanoid makers seeking initial public offerings (IPOs) on the mainland’s exchanges, according to media reports. The sustainability of revenue growth, earnings prospects and applicants’ key capabilities of tech innovation would be... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367545/unitrees-us30-billion-stock-wipe-spurs-regulatory-caution-humanoid-robot-ipos https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367545/unitrees-us30-billion-stock-wipe-spurs-regulatory-caution-humanoid-robot-ipos Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:02:12 +0000 Billy Huang Billy Huang China’s robots have become skilled at commanding a stage. At last month’s World Robot Conference in Beijing, humanoids sorted parcels, packed phones and performed household chores. Unitree Robotics, whose machines can run, dance and perform martial arts, made an equally dramatic entrance on the Shanghai stock market, closing its first day of trading at more than five times its offer price. The spectacle is real, and so is the engineering achievement behind it. However, this can obscure a more... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3365917/chinas-robot-revolution-may-not-arrive-way-you-expect https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3365917/chinas-robot-revolution-may-not-arrive-way-you-expect Thu, 03 Sep 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is partnering with tech giants to offer on-site artificial intelligence (AI) laboratories at its expanded Shanghai campus, which welcomed more than 300 students for the new term earlier this week. The campus in Zhangjiang Science City is also expected to expand its intake next year, when the university’s medicine and engineering programmes launch there. Its computing and data science school opened a base in Shanghai in mid-January. The university signed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3366026/hku-partners-tech-giants-offer-ai-labs-expanded-shanghai-campus https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3366026/hku-partners-tech-giants-offer-ai-labs-expanded-shanghai-campus Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen A Chinese robotics firm is accelerating its overseas strategy, with a fleet of AI-powered industrial quadrupeds being primed for Saudi Aramco facilities, while revving up its bid for a listing in Hong Kong next year. Heavy-duty, explosion-proof robots from Micbot are tipped to join similar products from other suppliers at oilfields, petrochemical bases and mines operated by Aramco, according to Micbot’s chief marketing officer, Huang Ziyan. Unlike consumer-focused companies that make educational... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365602/chinese-robot-maker-micbot-looks-woo-aramco-while-chasing-hong-kong-ipo https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365602/chinese-robot-maker-micbot-looks-woo-aramco-while-chasing-hong-kong-ipo Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:38:42 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The latest record-high profit results from the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) are more than just a fiscal milestone, they signal a market resurgence. Technological and financial trends on the mainland are aligning with those of the city. Witness the spectacular initial public offering (IPO) of Unitree Robotics on the tech-focused Star market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The humanoid robotics pioneer’s shares soared 460 per cent on their first day of trading. Market insiders now... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3365464/hkexs-role-crucial-hong-kong-helps-build-future-global-finance https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3365464/hkexs-role-crucial-hong-kong-helps-build-future-global-finance Thu, 27 Aug 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Shares in Chinese robotics star Unitree Robotics rebounded on Thursday following five straight days of losses that erased nearly half of its market value, although it did little to cool fears of a Chinese humanoid robot bubble. The stock rose nearly 4 per cent to close at 615 yuan on Thursday, giving the company a market capitalisation of 248.8 billion yuan (US$37 billion), after touching a record low of 571 yuan on Wednesday. That low marked a 48 per cent drop from its peak of 1,100 yuan on its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3365459/unitrees-stock-slump-ipo-stokes-fears-bubble-chinese-humanoid-robotics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3365459/unitrees-stock-slump-ipo-stokes-fears-bubble-chinese-humanoid-robotics Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:30:06 +0000 Howard Liu Howard Liu Humanoid robots were still among the biggest crowd-pleasers at this year’s World Robot Conference (WRC) in Beijing, though other types of robots, such as wheeled machines, were gaining momentum as the industry moves from demonstration to deployment. At Unitree Robotics’ packed booth at the conference, bipedal models played table tennis or squared off in fighting matches, showing off levels of speed, balance and coordination that the industry has only seen in the last few years. But elsewhere... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3364911/are-humanoid-robots-future-chinese-makers-instead-highlight-practical-design https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3364911/are-humanoid-robots-future-chinese-makers-instead-highlight-practical-design Sun, 23 Aug 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao While investors saw Beijing’s holdings of US government debt shrink and US Treasuries yield rise, a life sentence for China Evergrande Group founder Hui Ka-yan marked a symbolic end to an era of breakneck expansion in the country’s property sector. Here are some of the figures that have drawn the most market attention this week. An 8.82 billion yuan fine for Hui Ka-yan’s Evergrande A Shenzhen court sentenced China Evergrande Group founder and former chairman Hui Ka-yan, also known as Xu Jiayin,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3364759/evergrandes-us131b-fine-china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-numbers-moving-markets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3364759/evergrandes-us131b-fine-china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-numbers-moving-markets Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:00:07 +0000 Howard Liu Howard Liu At China’s annual World Robot Conference (WRC) that kicked off on Wednesday, the hall was filled with humanoid robots wowing visitors with feats of dexterity: from playing table tennis to performing drum solos. These eye-catching displays have helped China’s robotics industry win global attention – and raise huge amounts of capital – over the past couple of years. But at this year’s summit, the overriding sentiment among executives, investors and policymakers was starkly pragmatic: the era of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364582/spectacle-scale-why-chinas-robotics-firms-face-critical-juncture https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364582/spectacle-scale-why-chinas-robotics-firms-face-critical-juncture Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Shares of Unitree Robotics surged 629 per cent above their initial public offering price to open at 1,100 yuan in their Shanghai trading debut on Wednesday, giving China’s best-known humanoid robot maker a market capitalisation of about 445 billion yuan (US$66 billion). The opening pop from its IPO price of 150.80 yuan gave way to a pullback later in the session, with the stock closing at 845 yuan. That still represented a 460 per cent gain on day one, leaving the company with a market valuation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3364499/unitree-robotics-surges-629-us66-billion-valuation-shanghai-share-debut https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3364499/unitree-robotics-surges-629-us66-billion-valuation-shanghai-share-debut Wed, 19 Aug 2026 01:57:38 +0000 Wency Chen,Daniel Ren Wency Chen,Daniel Ren Did the stair-climbing Chinese robot vacuum or flying robovac prototypes that wowed visitors at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas go into production? American consumers will probably not find out. Nor will US businesses and households get to buy Iron, Xpeng’s humanoid robot, so lifelike it had to be unzipped on stage to convince onlookers it was a machine. Even Elon Musk, whose Tesla is developing Optimus, praised his Chinese competitor’s model. The next generation of the dancing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3364234/chinese-robots-march-despite-tech-war-hurdles https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-war/article/3364234/chinese-robots-march-despite-tech-war-hurdles Mon, 17 Aug 2026 04:15:11 +0000 Christina Zhao Christina Zhao US entrepreneur Elon Musk has long been highly respected in China. His business ideas – from electric cars to rockets, humanoid robots and brain implants – have spawned Chinese followers, many of which now pose growing threats to Musk’s business empire. These Chinese competitors tend to follow a similar strategy: capitalise on the large domestic market to grow their business while taking advantage of the country’s integrated supply chains and expertise in fast-response manufacturing to hone... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3364094/musks-headaches-meet-chinas-corporate-matrix-challenging-his-business-empire https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3364094/musks-headaches-meet-chinas-corporate-matrix-challenging-his-business-empire Sun, 16 Aug 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Judy Xue Judy Xue While Chinese investors faced down long odds for a stake in Unitree Robotics amid a broader frenzy for high-performing tech stocks, the market this week also focused on the implications of July’s US inflation rate, gold price trends and the interim results of CK Hutchison Holdings, one of the flagship companies owned by the family of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing. Unitree’s retail subscription rate: 0.0181 per cent Millions of retail investors in China rushed to subscribe to Unitree Robotics... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3363998/chasing-robots-chasing-profits-numbers-moving-markets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3363998/chasing-robots-chasing-profits-numbers-moving-markets Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Chinese corporate expansion overseas is shifting from solar equipment to artificial intelligence-enabled industrial technology, with a new generation of companies targeting global markets from inception, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. “China has entered the ‘Go Global 3.0’ era,” wrote the investment bank’s team, led by Jacqueline Du, in a research note published on Tuesday. The evolution moves beyond low-cost manufacturing goods and the “new three” sectors – electric vehicles,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3363787/solar-ai-why-china-may-be-entering-its-go-global-30-era https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3363787/solar-ai-why-china-may-be-entering-its-go-global-30-era Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese smartphone maker Honor has launched a handset with a motorised robotic camera that nods back at users, betting that its interactive hardware will spark growth in a cooling global market for the devices. The new Robot Phone, unveiled on Wednesday, features a three-axis mechanical gimbal with four degrees of motion, allowing for video stabilisation and interaction via nodding and tilting. Activated by a hand gesture, the gimbal camera unfurls from the back of the device – a mechanism that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363738/honors-new-robot-phone-looks-boost-global-appeal-its-nodding-camera https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363738/honors-new-robot-phone-looks-boost-global-appeal-its-nodding-camera Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:30:11 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Chinese AI start-up ModelBest has kicked off its pre-initial public offering (IPO) tutoring process for a listing in mainland China, capitalising on growing demand for compact artificial intelligence models that run locally on devices like smartphones and laptops, and in cars. The four-year-old company also appears to be banking on its small-model strategy to overcome China’s acute shortage of advanced American computing chips by training lightweight systems optimised for domestic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3363762/chinese-ai-start-modelbest-kicks-pre-ipo-tutoring-process-mainland-listing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3363762/chinese-ai-start-modelbest-kicks-pre-ipo-tutoring-process-mainland-listing Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:26:50 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Unitree Robotics’ Shanghai initial public offering (IPO) was more than 5,500 times oversubscribed by retail investors as optimism about fast stock gains and Chinese robot demand outweighed concerns about a US import ban. The 6.1 billion yuan (US$900 million) share sale drew 9.8 million orders from individual investors, the robot maker said in a statement on Monday. Just 0.018 per cent of orders will be fulfilled, even after the Hangzhou-based company boosted the number of retail shares by half... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3363659/unitree-ipo-deluge-masks-humanoid-robots-limitations https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3363659/unitree-ipo-deluge-masks-humanoid-robots-limitations Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:05:41 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen While Unitree Robotics’ early backers are poised for a windfall in one of China’s most closely watched technology initial public offerings (IPOs), retail investors are scrambling for a tiny chance of securing shares. Nearly 9.8 million accounts competed in the Hangzhou-based robot maker’s online subscription process on Monday, fighting for just 9.7 million shares, its filings in the evening showed. The final online allocation rate was just 0.018 per cent – roughly one winning lot for every 5,500... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363570/unitree-ipo-frenzy-leaves-chinese-retail-investors-1-5500-odds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363570/unitree-ipo-frenzy-leaves-chinese-retail-investors-1-5500-odds Tue, 11 Aug 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Thomas O. Falk Thomas O. Falk Concession speeches follow a formula: the vocabulary of defiance, thanks to the faithful, a promise that the fight goes on. Last month, Brendan Carr, chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), essentially delivered one on behalf of American robotics. Acting on findings from a White House task force, Carr added new foreign-made humanoid robots, quadrupeds and power inverters to the agency’s Covered List, denying them the authorisation nearly every electronic device requires to be... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363437/us-does-its-robotics-industry-no-favours-fencing-it-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363437/us-does-its-robotics-industry-no-favours-fencing-it-china Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Richard Chen Richard Chen China’s AgiBot has surpassed its domestic rival Unitree Robotics to become the world’s largest humanoid robot vendor in the first half of 2026, according to new research, as both industry heavyweights prepare for public listings amid a physical AI boom. Shanghai-based Agibot captured 44 per cent of the global market after shipping roughly 8,400 humanoid robots from January to June, San Francisco-based research firm Smart Analytics Global (SAG) said in a report published on Sunday. AgiBot’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363544/agibot-overtakes-unitree-top-global-humanoid-robot-vendor-first-half-amid-ipo-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363544/agibot-overtakes-unitree-top-global-humanoid-robot-vendor-first-half-amid-ipo-push Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:30:09 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The long-awaited initial public offering of Unitree Robotics, which values the Hangzhou-based firm at 60.99 billion yuan (US$9 billion), is set to serve as a valuation benchmark for China’s booming embodied-AI sector, buoyed by retail investor excitement and high-profile AI backers like DeepSeek. Widely billed as “mainland China’s first humanoid stock”, Unitree has priced its IPO on Shanghai’s Star Market at 150.8 yuan per share, according to a filing released Thursday evening. The firm will... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363251/backed-deepseek-unitree-ipo-tests-investor-appetite-chinas-ai-robotics-boom https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363251/backed-deepseek-unitree-ipo-tests-investor-appetite-chinas-ai-robotics-boom Fri, 07 Aug 2026 04:23:35 +0000 Coco Feng,Ben Jiang Coco Feng,Ben Jiang Chinese start-up X Square Robot has filed confidentially for an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, according to two sources familiar with the matter, joining a growing wave of domestic robot makers flocking to capital markets, despite new US trade restrictions. The Shenzhen-based firm has tapped Huatai Securities and Morgan Stanley as sponsors for the prospective float, one of the sources said. Besides X Square, AgiBot and Galbot have also filed confidentially for Hong Kong IPOs, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3363028/chinas-x-square-robot-submits-confidential-filing-hong-kong-ipo-sources-say https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3363028/chinas-x-square-robot-submits-confidential-filing-hong-kong-ipo-sources-say Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:22:03 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Wency Chen Xiaofei Xu,Wency Chen Unitree Robotics will launch its initial public offering (IPO) in Shanghai next week, the firm announced late on Thursday, as China’s robotics start-ups race to go public amid an intense rivalry with their counterparts in the United States. The Hangzhou-based company plans to sell 40.45 million shares, or 10 per cent of its enlarged share capital. It is another closely watched debut on Shanghai’s Star Market, following the recent listing of ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), whose market... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3362441/unitree-launch-ipo-next-week-us-china-robotics-rivalry-intensifies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3362441/unitree-launch-ipo-next-week-us-china-robotics-rivalry-intensifies Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:24:39 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s robotics firms have run into a fresh obstacle in their global expansion, after the United States banned imports of new foreign-made models, which analysts say could benefit Tesla and other American developers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added foreign-produced “advanced robotic devices” to its Covered List on Tuesday, blocking new models from obtaining the authorisation required to be imported and sold in the US. The ban will cover all new humanoids, quadrupeds and a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3362277/what-will-us-foreign-robot-ban-mean-chinas-world-leading-start-ups https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3362277/what-will-us-foreign-robot-ban-mean-chinas-world-leading-start-ups Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:30:15 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China is widening its lead over the United States in the race to develop humanoid robots, with Chinese firms accounting for six of the world’s 10 most innovative start-ups in the sector, according to a new report tracking global patent data, as Washington moves to restrict imports of robots, including those made in China. Firms from China dominated the ranking released by legal research platform LexisNexis on Tuesday, claiming a clean sweep of the top five. The top five places went to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3362195/china-has-6-worlds-10-most-innovative-humanoid-robot-start-ups-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3362195/china-has-6-worlds-10-most-innovative-humanoid-robot-start-ups-report Wed, 29 Jul 2026 02:59:49 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and Zhipu AI have not only seen their share prices skyrocket, but they have also handed a windfall to their common backer: Alibaba Group Holding. Before the listing of China’s memory-chip giant on Monday, Alibaba owned nearly 5 per cent of CXMT, making it the chipmaker’s largest industrial shareholder, according to the prospectus. Alibaba has invested about 7.6 billion yuan in CXMT since 2021. Based on Tuesday’s closing market capitalisation of about 3.14... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3362156/cxmt-zhipu-how-alibabas-investment-pays-growing-ai-and-chip-portfolio https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3362156/cxmt-zhipu-how-alibabas-investment-pays-growing-ai-and-chip-portfolio Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:30:06 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s so-called K-shaped economy has attracted attention in recent months, as official data shows a disparity between the country’s fast-growing hi-tech industries and stagnant consumer sector. But a similar pattern is also taking shape geographically, with regions benefiting unequally from the tech boom. Chinese provinces have now released their growth data for the first half of the year, and the figures show a clear bifurcation between thriving tech hubs and the rest of the country. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361751/chinas-k-shaped-economy-divided-not-just-sector-geography https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361751/chinas-k-shaped-economy-divided-not-just-sector-geography Mon, 27 Jul 2026 03:00:05 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen On the surface, China’s cutting-edge tech sector – from the algorithmic breakthroughs of DeepSeek and Zhipu AI to the hardware of Unitree Robotics and ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) – mirrors Silicon Valley’s venture capital-backed ecosystem. But a closer look at their financing histories reveals a common investor: the Chinese state. Beijing’s strong presence underscores a more profound structural shift in how China’s frontier technology is being funded. As Western venture capital and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3361779/investment-chinese-characteristics-how-beijings-money-reshaping-tech-ventures https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3361779/investment-chinese-characteristics-how-beijings-money-reshaping-tech-ventures Sat, 25 Jul 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard Hangzhou is a city of contradictions. It is home to West Lake, a Unesco World Heritage site that has inspired poets and painters for more than 1,000 years, since at least the Tang dynasty (AD618-907). It is also the birthplace of Alibaba (owner of the South China Morning Post) and a growing centre of artificial intelligence and robotics, thanks to Zhejiang University’s engineering pipeline and a local government that offers subsidies, low-cost rentals and a hands-off approach, creating an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/design-interiors/article/3361230/only-hangzhou-hang-lungs-new-westlake-66-complex-blends-hi-tech-and-history https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/design-interiors/article/3361230/only-hangzhou-hang-lungs-new-westlake-66-complex-blends-hi-tech-and-history Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Zoe SL Chan,Coco Feng Zoe SL Chan,Coco Feng Fast-growing Chinese robot maker AgiBot is pursuing an initial public offering in Hong Kong and has hired Citic Securities as a sponsor, according to two people familiar with the matter. Additionally, China International Capital Corporation (CICC) and Morgan Stanley have also been tapped as joint sponsors, one of the people said. Shanghai-based AgiBot had shown signs that it was looking to list following its restructuring from a limited liability company to a joint-stock limited firm last year,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3361444/chinese-robot-maker-agibot-pursues-hong-kong-ipo-hiring-three-sponsors-sources https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3361444/chinese-robot-maker-agibot-pursues-hong-kong-ipo-hiring-three-sponsors-sources Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:09:56 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Traffic almost came to a standstill 2km (1.2 miles) from the Shanghai Expo Centre on Friday, the first day of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC). With temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), scores of attendees abandoned their taxis to walk the rest of the way under the hot sun. This year’s conference mirrored the weather: it was the hottest, most crowded WAIC in my six years covering the event and, I was told, the most vibrant since its inception in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3361404/heat-hardware-and-high-stakes-chinas-biggest-world-artificial-intelligence-conference https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3361404/heat-hardware-and-high-stakes-chinas-biggest-world-artificial-intelligence-conference Wed, 22 Jul 2026 03:30:07 +0000 Judy Xue Judy Xue A luxury penthouse in Hangzhou has set record highs for both unit price and total value of high-rise flats in the city, as new tech wealth injects fresh momentum into the market. All 66 units at the high-end Wangtianji development’s initial batch were snapped up on the first day of launch on July 16, generating 3.36 billion yuan (US$496 million) in total sales. Competition was fierce, with seven to eight bidders chasing each prime riverfront flat. Buyers averaged 39 years old and largely... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3361214/new-tech-wealth-sparks-luxury-property-rush-chinese-city-home-six-little-dragons https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3361214/new-tech-wealth-sparks-luxury-property-rush-chinese-city-home-six-little-dragons Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:00:06 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Howard Liu Sylvia Ma,Howard Liu President Xi Jinping warned against creating “new historical injustices” in the era of artificial intelligence on Friday, calling for greater support for the technology’s use and adoption in the Global South and a more open, inclusive approach to AI development. Addressing the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi’s speech came shortly after his US counterpart, Donald Trump, delivered an unprecedented attack against Beijing during a prime-time national broadcast, accusing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3360920/chinese-president-xi-jinping-warns-against-creating-new-historical-injustices-ai-era https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3360920/chinese-president-xi-jinping-warns-against-creating-new-historical-injustices-ai-era Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:25:06 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Chinese tech unicorn BrainCo has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first integrated “brain-to-robot” platform that lets users control robots using only their thoughts, without moving a muscle. The launch of the Brain-Controlled Robot AI Platform was announced on Friday at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai – China’s premier AI event. It comes as global technology firms are racing to develop powerful embodied AI systems, where artificial intelligence is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3360893/brainco-unveils-brain-controlled-robot-platform-chinas-world-ai-conference https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3360893/brainco-unveils-brain-controlled-robot-platform-chinas-world-ai-conference Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:12 +0000 Wency Chen,Howard Liu Wency Chen,Howard Liu China will use its largest annual artificial intelligence gathering this week to showcase an ambition that extends beyond catching up with the United States in foundation models to building dominance in autonomous agents, scientific research, humanoid robots and consumer devices. The World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai comes amid an intensifying technology rivalry with the US, whose restrictions continue to constrain China’s access to advanced computing chips. Beijing has responded by making... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3360800/humanoids-huawei-what-watch-xi-attends-chinas-waic-amid-us-ai-rivalry https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3360800/humanoids-huawei-what-watch-xi-attends-chinas-waic-amid-us-ai-rivalry Fri, 17 Jul 2026 01:00:05 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong President Xi Jinping gave investors a surprise in 2018 when he floated the idea of a tech-focused board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE). He also gave China a powerful asset, as the board – later dubbed the Star Market – has become a financial engine powering breakthroughs in frontier technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics and semiconductors. The Star Market, officially known as the Sci-Tech Innovation Board under the Shanghai bourse, now forms an important part of China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360094/star-market-7-tech-centric-stock-exchange-powers-chinas-innovation-rise https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360094/star-market-7-tech-centric-stock-exchange-powers-chinas-innovation-rise Sat, 11 Jul 2026 02:00:07 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang US scientists have carried out keyhole surgery with a Chinese-made robot taking the place of the lead surgeon. The general-purpose humanoid robot made by Unitree Robotics was remotely controlled by two human surgeons as it successfully removed a pig’s gallbladder at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Another robot also played a support role during the procedure, controlling the endoscope used to monitor the operation and retracting tissue. “Remotely operated and autonomous humanoid... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360107/us-scientists-use-chinese-humanoid-robot-carry-out-keyhole-surgery-and-remove-organs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360107/us-scientists-use-chinese-humanoid-robot-carry-out-keyhole-surgery-and-remove-organs Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:00:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu European firms say they are fighting to secure a foothold in physical AI – the integration of artificial intelligence into robotics and machinery – as China and the United States take an early lead in the sector, with industry insiders warning the continent faces the threat of further deindustrialisation if it fails to establish a competitive industry. “You see China and the US … because of AI … typically they are considered the leaders, but do not count out Europe,” said David Kehr, president... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3359847/physical-ai-space-race-can-europe-compete-china-and-us-humanoid-robotics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3359847/physical-ai-space-race-can-europe-compete-china-and-us-humanoid-robotics Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:07:01 +0000