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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.
A staff member demonstrates a humanoid robot at the Lens Technology booth during the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on June 22, 2026. Photo: Reuters
Xpeng

China’s robot rush: Morgan Stanley raises 2026 forecast to 50,000 units

China’s humanoid robot industry is scaling faster than expected, with Xpeng, Unitree and others accelerating mass production.

Artificial intelligence

Milestones for China’s medical AI as robot wins EU nod and model tops benchmark

US-China relations

Pentagon sued by Alibaba over ‘arbitrary’ military blacklist targeting Chinese firms

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China’s private sector

Apple supplier Lingyi seeks US$1.1 billion Hong Kong IPO to fund AI and robotics

The Shenzhen-listed components maker is using a Hong Kong float to fund its push into AI servers, smart glasses and robotics.

Lingyi’s ‘Lingyue’ humanoid robots perform at an Honor flagship store launch in Shenzhen. Photo: Getty Images
China manufacturing

Will China’s AI-powered agribots repeat its EV success story?

Chinese tech and mass production capabilities could transform the nation’s farming industry with AI-enabled workforce.

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China's population

Opinion | As populations fall, nations that can tap human potential will succeed

Countries that use today’s demographic window to accumulate human and technological capital will gain a long-term advantage.

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Hong Kong

Sophia the robot learns to sing as Hong Kong teaches androids the joys of music

You’ve seen them dance, lift heavy objects and perform stunts. Now, robots are taking centre stage as singers and musicians.

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Sophia the singing robot and Johnny Poon, conductor and dean of creative arts at the Hong Kong Baptist University. Photo: Alexander Mak
Alibaba

Alibaba eyes physical world with its first suite of AI models for robots

Alibaba unveils Qwen robot models to push AI beyond chatbots, as embodied intelligence becomes the next frontier in global AI.

Artificial intelligence

AI | AI’s next frontier, world models, and why China is leading

AI models that understand the workings of the physical world and can simulate it will give the technology more human-like powers and drive embodied intelligence.

China-Middle East relations

Why China is attracting wealthy Gulf families in search of opportunity

Growing interest in China’s tech sector is reshaping Gulf travel to the world’s second-largest economy.

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In the winter of 2025, Lilian Liu, at Middle East-focused tour operator UFOX Travel, hosted a group of more than 40 students from a private high school in Abu Dhabi. Photo: UFOX Travel
South Korea

How Nvidia’s South Korean AI deals could fuel ‘the next industrial revolution’

Jensen Huang’s dealings in Seoul may provide a road map for South Korea’s AI ambitions but experts warn against painting too rosy a picture.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (centre) looks at a Boston Dynamics Spot robot at the Hyundai Motor Group headquarters in Seoul on Monday. Photo: Reuters
US-China trade war

US Congress warned: AI race winner will rule world, and it must not be China

As Washington and Beijing battle for global supremacy in artificial intelligence, US must establish next technological edge, Congress told.

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Xpeng

From cars to humanoids: Xpeng boss takes over robotics unit in ‘strategic pivot’

Billionaire founder discloses that over the past year he spent at least one full day each week engaged in the robotics operations.

Artificial intelligence

New Chinese police tech uses AI to scan suspects’ health and mental states

International expo in Beijing showcases cameras that measure vital signs, and even core motivation, of suspects, equipment firms say.

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Vendors at the police and anti-terrorism tech expo in Beijing showcased biometric assessment, hi-tech cameras and the use of LLM-enhanced analysis. Photo: Handout
China manufacturing

From dance to factory floor: China moves to fast track humanoids into industry

The scheme spans manufacturing and healthcare to disaster relief and requires local governments and SOEs to test and deploy the technology this year.

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Xpeng’s humanoid robot Iron stands at the Chinese electric vehicle maker’s booth during a media day for the Auto Shanghai show in Shanghai on April 23. Photo: Reuters
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV giants challenge Tesla in race to commercialise humanoid robots

After years of competing with Tesla in electric vehicles and self-driving technology, Chinese manufacturers are targeting humanoid robots.

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Indonesia

Indonesian police in the market for hi-tech Chinese equipment

The national force is particularly keen on boosting supplies of counterterror gear, according to a wish list unveiled at a Beijing expo.

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Hong Kong

Chinese researchers tackle AI training bottleneck for household robots

The framework breaks the constraints of conventional indoor scene generation, which has long been confined to single-room layouts.

A robot works in a simulated home scenario at the Humanoid Robot Data Training Centre in Shougang Park, in Beijing on March 29, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
Unitree Robotics

US public cheers dancing Unitree robots while Congress looks to ban them

Eight Unitree G1 humanoid robots performed an elaborate dance routine on America’s Got Talent, alongside a Chinese dancer from Sichuan.

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Nvidia

China just beat Nvidia on a global robotics ranking. Is a new tech war brewing?

Spirit AI says its foundation model for embodied intelligence is the first from China to top the RoboArena global leaderboard.

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China economy

Opinion | How foreign investors should view China’s ‘little giants’ scheme

The label has its uses but it proves nothing about commercial success, product quality, financial health or global competitiveness.

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Pudu Robotics, a national-level “little giant” based in China’s Jiangsu province, showcases its products at the International Robot Exhibition (iREX) 2025, the world’s largest robotics trade show, held at the Tokyo Big Sight in Japan from December 3-6. Photo: Handout
Mainland China

Unitree clears Shanghai IPO hurdle as China’s humanoid robot wave gathers pace

Listing plan highlights Unitree’s push to invest more in robot ‘brains’ as it joins competitors in China’s humanoid rush.

A Unitree robot works in a hardware store in Pocking, Germany. The robot operates in supervised mode and its goal, according to the store operator, is to support employees, not replace them. Photo: EPA
Mainland China

World of humanoid robots set for new blueprint as Nvidia teams with Asian firms

The tech trio team up to create a state-of-the-art robot reference design allowing researchers to build, fine-tune and deploy skills faster.

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Unitree Robotics

‘Arms race’: why investors can’t let go of robotic hand developers in China

Funding blitzes spotlight the dexterous hand sector, which is focused on the toughest component in humanoid hardware.

South Korea

Video | Robots take to the catwalk at Seoul fashion show

The AI fashion event offered a glimpse into a future of tech-driven, human-robot coexistence.

Robots take to the catwalk at Seoul fashion show
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Artificial intelligence

Alibaba, Tencent lead pivot from chatbots to embodied AI for robotics

Embodied AI and autonomous agents are increasingly viewed by investors as one of the next major growth areas for the sector, UBS says.

A customer interacts with an AgiBot humanoid at a car dealership in Shanghai, April 8, 2025. Photo: Reuters
China stock market

Unitree’s IPO progress spurs stock buying of firms with exposure to robot maker

As the robot manufacturer moves a step closer to its IPO, stocks of its investors and supply chain makers have shot up.

Artificial intelligence

As China’s humanoid-robot hype cools, Unitree sees profit plunge

A filing shows adjusted profit fell 53 per cent, even as revenue continued to rise, highlighting tough competition in humanoid robot sector.

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