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Two robots clash during a free-style combat event at the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on August 15, 2025. — AFP
The world’s first humanoid robot competition kicked off Friday in Beijing, featuring over 500 robots demonstrating shaky movements and brief moments of true strength as they compete in events ranging from 100-meter hurdles to kung fu.
Teams from 16 nations are vying for medals at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, a venue originally built for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The competition showcases both traditional sports like athletics and basketball, along with practical tasks such as sorting medical samples and cleaning.
“I think in about ten years, robots will be nearly on par with humans,” said 18-year-old spectator Chen Ruiyuan with enthusiasm, speaking to AFP.
But human athletes might not be trembling in fear just yet.
In one of the early competitions on Friday morning, a small-scale five-a-side football match saw ten robots, each about the size of a seven-year-old child, moving uncertainly on the field—getting caught in scrums or tumbling over each other.
However, in a 1,500-meter race, homegrown robots from Unitree surged along the track at impressive speeds, easily surpassing their competitors. The quickest robot finished in 6 minutes and 29.37 seconds, a significant gap from the men’s world record of 3:26.
During the race, one robot crashed into a human operator, knocking the person over. Fortunately, the human appeared uninjured, and the robot stayed upright.
‘National Strategy’
While robot competitions have been held for decades, the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games are the first to specifically feature robots designed to resemble humans, organizers said.
The Chinese government has heavily invested in robotics, aiming to position the country as a global leader in the industry. Beijing has incorporated humanoid robots into its national strategy, according to the International Federation of Robotics, which explained that the government seeks to showcase its skills and competitiveness in this technology sector.
Efforts are also underway to raise public awareness about robotics. Cui Han, who attended with her 10-year-old son, told AFP that her son’s school organized and funded their trip to the Games.
“I hope this inspires him to learn more about these emerging technologies,” she said.
In March, China announced a plan for a 1 trillion yuan fund to support tech startups, including those working with robotics and artificial intelligence. The country already leads the world in the industrial robot market, according to official data, and in April held what organizers called the world’s first humanoid robot half-marathon.
Chen, the young spectator, shared with AFP that he plans to study automation at university.
“Coming here fuels my passion for this field,” he said. “My favorite event is boxing because it demands a lot of agility, and I can see how much robots have improved.”
Meanwhile, at the kung fu challenge zone, a tiny robot resembling a Transformer character attempted a move but ended up falling flat on its front. It spun on the ground trying to recover as the crowd cheered.
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