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Robotics
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 stay ahead in China's evolving competitive landscape.
Chinese smartphone maker Honor has launched the Robot Phone, a handset with a motorised, fold-out gimbal camera. Photo: Handout
Honor

Robot in a pocket: Honor’s new phone camera nods back at users

The Chinese smartphone maker has integrated embodied AI to control camera movement, along with other features to boost interest amid a cooling market.

Hong Kong stock market

Hong Kong seeks tech exposure amid Beijing’s rising AI dominance

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IPO

Unitree IPO deluge masks humanoid robots’ limitations

Hong Kong stock market

Index compiler plans to add 20 more stocks to Hong Kong’s main tech tracker

Hang Seng Indexes Company says expanded 50-constituent index would feature 10 fastest-growing companies, irrespective of market cap.

The headquarters of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, which operates the Hong Kong stock market, are at Exchange Square in Central. Photo: Sun Yeung
IPO

Unitree IPO frenzy leaves retail investors with 1-in-5,500 odds

Robotics company’s US$900 million Star Market listing offers slimmer odds than recent offerings by CXMT, Moore Threads and MetaX.

US-China relations

Chinese national pleads guilty to trying to export US military gear to China

Chen Dingwei, 29, pleaded guilty to attempting to illegally procure US military-grade satellite modems and radios for export to China.

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Technology

Opinion | US does its robotics industry no favours by fencing it off from China

By banning Chinese humanoid robots, Washington is trying to buy its industry time, but the lack of competition is not a strength.

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A robot made by Chinese company AgiBot dances at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 7. Photo: Xinhua
Unitree Robotics

AgiBot dethrones Unitree as world’s top humanoid maker ahead of IPOs

AgiBot’s shipments surged 562 per cent year on year, supported by a portfolio of full-size bipedals, compact units and wheeled robots.

IPO

Backed by DeepSeek, Unitree seeks US$9b valuation in landmark robotics IPO

DeepSeek, which invested 141 million yuan, will co-develop AI models and embodied-intelligence technology with Unitree.

Artificial intelligence

Programmed to impress: AI make-up arm dazzles in Hong Kong hackathon

Personalised make-up assistant handed top honours after lipstick demonstration, beating more than 160 global competitors in finals.

Personalised make-up assistant Iron Bestie is powered by vision-language models and voice recognition. Photo: Handout
Science

Chinese AI robot delivers needle-free pig vaccinations with 93% accuracy

Beijing researchers combine artificial intelligence and a six-axis robotic arm to automate swine vaccinations.

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A team led by Li Bin of the Intelligent Equipment Research Centre of the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences uses tracking, AI and a robotic arm to deliver vaccines to farmed pigs. Photo: Handout
US-China trade war

Beijing decries ‘bullying’ US tech curbs that ensnare Chinese firms and products

State mouthpiece warns that Washington’s bans on green energy and advanced manufacturing will backfire, while defending China’s open-source AI models.

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IPO

China’s X Square Robot submits confidential filing for Hong Kong IPO: sources

The start-up joins a growing list of domestic robot makers in China raising capital.

Artificial intelligence

Has a Chinese physical AI start-up manipulated a global ranking to beat Nvidia?

Spirit AI’s Spirit v1.6 briefly dethroned Nvidia on the RoboArena robotics benchmark, but the model was then removed following a methodology overhaul.

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A woman poses next to humanoid robots by Spirit AI during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 18. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

US tech giants invited to discuss AI security tests at White House

Meta, Anthropic among companies to review voluntary framework on Tuesday as US government seeks early access to most advanced AI models.

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Anthropic is among the leading US artificial intelligence developers that have agreed to discuss early access to its most advanced models with the Trump administration. Photo: Reuters
Artificial intelligence

Chasing physical AI: Ant Group robotics arm Robbyant kicks off external funding

The division seeks US$222 million in the first round and could complete a second by year-end, according to domestic media reports.

Mainland China

Mixed feelings: can China’s companion robots win a place at home?

Companion robots start arriving in September, offering emotional interaction and novelty, but chores remain off the table – at least for now.

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Hong Kong economy

Patrolling robot damaged after falling down staircase at Hong Kong airport

Hong Kong authorities investigating after accident during trial run on Saturday.

The robot lies at the bottom of the staircase with its arms shattered into pieces. Photo: Handout
China exports

China’s surgical robots break into Vietnam as Beijing targets US dominance

Shipments to Asean have surged 246% this year as cross-border healthcare platforms pave way for manufacturers to challenge US giants like Intuitive Surgical.

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Mainland China

Unitree to launch IPO next week as US-China robotics rivalry intensifies

The Hangzhou-based firm will launch its listing in Shanghai next week, as a string of Chinese robotics start-ups pursue plans to go public.

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US-China tech war

China’s smart-vacuum giants swept up in US robot ban, hitting top options

Washington’s expanding trade crackdown targets household electronics, focusing crosshairs on overseas firms supplying American homes.

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People watch as a Cyber X robot moves up and down stairs at a Dreame booth during the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

BYD to debut first humanoid robots in August as rivalry with Tesla intensifies

China’s electric car giant plans to unveil the humanoids at its Di Space showrooms within weeks, as it takes on Elon Musk’s firm in physical AI.

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Stella Li, BYD's executive vice-president, at a press conference before the start of the International Motor Show (IAA Mobility) in Munich on September 8, 2025. In June, Li said the company had invested in humanoid robots. Photo: DPA
US-China trade war

Can China’s EV boom give it decisive edge in geopolitical tech war?

Beijing’s dominance in global EV industry may provide leverage over countries dependent on its technology and supply chains, analysts say.

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Mainland China

Tesla to benefit from US robot ban as Chinese rivals suffer knockback

Leading Chinese robot makers have ambitious overseas expansion plans, but Washington’s ban may force them to recalibrate.

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Artificial intelligence

Lenovo Capital takes aim at robotics, coding agents in ‘sniper’ AI strategy

Chinese firm makes long-term bets on 100 artificial intelligence companies, from chip and hardware manufacturers to models and applications.

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A Lenovo robot forms a heart shape with its hands during the 2025 World AI Conference in Shanghai. Photo: VCG
Mainland China

China sweeps global humanoid robot start-up ranking as US imposes ban

The LexisNexis study identified a ‘clear shift towards China’ in the humanoid robot race, with the US falling behind.

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Humanoid robots work on an imitation factory production line at a robot training centre in east China’s Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP
Alibaba

From CXMT to Zhipu AI, Alibaba’s strategic investments are paying off

The company’s strategic shift to AI and chip investments is not only yielding significant returns, but also boosting its tech portfolio.

China shipbuilding

Chinese robotics is quietly cornering a new niche. How will shipyards benefit?

As shipyards face rising safety demands and an ageing workforce, specialised climbing robots could be set to transform dangerous maintenance work.

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