Beijing (TDI): China’s most-watched television program, the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala, spotlighted the country’s ambitious industrial policy on Monday, showcasing Beijing’s drive to dominate humanoid robotics and the future of manufacturing.
Four emerging robotics firms Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix and MagicLab demonstrated their latest humanoid robots during the gala, a cultural touchstone in China comparable in scale to the Super Bowl in the United States.
The program’s opening sketches prominently featured humanoid machines. In one extended martial arts performance, more than a dozen Unitree robots executed intricate fight sequences alongside child performers, wielding swords, poles and nunchucks. A particularly complex routine replicated the swaying movements and dramatic backward falls of China’s “drunken boxing” style, highlighting advances in multi-robot coordination and fault recovery, the ability of robots to regain balance after falling.
Artificial intelligence was also centre stage. ByteDance’s AI chatbot Doubao appeared in the opening segment, while Noetix robots joined actors in a comedy skit. MagicLab humanoids performed a synchronised dance to the song “We Are Made in China.”
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The growing hype around China’s humanoid robotics sector comes as leading firms such as AgiBot and Unitree prepare for initial public offerings this year. Meanwhile, domestic AI companies have unveiled new frontier models during the lucrative Lunar New Year holiday period.
Last year’s gala featured 16 full-sized Unitree robots dancing in unison with human performers, a display that stunned viewers. Weeks later, Unitree’s founder met President Xi Jinping at a high-profile technology symposium, the first of its kind since 2018.
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Over the past year, Xi has met five robotics startup founders, underscoring the strategic priority Beijing places on the sector. Analysts note that appearances on the CCTV gala often translate into tangible rewards, including government contracts and increased investor interest.
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