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China’s most-watched TV event, the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala, aired Monday and spotlighted the nation’s leading industrial strategies and Beijing’s ambition to lead in humanoid robotics and future manufacturing.
At the event, four emerging humanoid robot startups—Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab—displayed their innovations. The gala is a televised spectacle in China, akin to the Super Bowl in the United States. Its first segment prominently featured humanoid robots, including a detailed martial arts performance where more than a dozen Unitree robots executed complex combat routines, wielding swords, poles, and nunchucks alongside children performers.
One particularly intricate fight sequence emulated China’s “drunken boxing” martial art style, demonstrating advanced multi-robot coordination and the ability for robots to recover after falling—showing significant progress in fault recovery and operational autonomy.
Additional segments showcased AI chatbot Doubao from Alibaba, with Noetix robots acting alongside human comedians, and MagicLab robots performing synchronized dance routines to the song “We Are Made in China.”
The buzz around China’s humanoid robots is fueled by plans for companies like AgiBot and Unitree to go public this year, alongside vibrant releases from domestic AI startups during the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday break.
Last year, the gala wowed audiences with 16 full-size Unitree robots dancing and twirling handkerchiefs in harmony with performers. Shortly after, Unitree’s founder met President Xi Jinping at a major tech conference—the first such engagement since 2018. Over the past year, Xi has met with five robotics startup leaders, a number comparable to his meetings with electric vehicle and semiconductor entrepreneurs, which signals increased visibility for the sector.
The CCTV broadcast, which captured 79% of China’s live TV viewership last year, has long served as a platform to highlight Beijing’s technological ambitions—including space exploration, drones, and robotics, according to Georg Stieler, Asia managing director and head of robotics and automation at technology consultancy firm, Stieler.
“What sets the gala apart from similar events elsewhere is how directly it channels government industrial policies into prime-time entertainment,” Stieler explained. “Companies featured on this stage often receive tangible benefits—such as government contracts, investor attention, and market access.”
Behind the scenes of robot marathons, kung-fu kicks, and backflips, China has positioned robotics and artificial intelligence at the core of its next-gen AI+ manufacturing blueprint. The country believes that automation-driven productivity gains can offset the challenges posed by an aging population.
“Humanoids encapsulate key strengths for China: AI capabilities, hardware supply chains, and manufacturing ambitions,” said tech analyst Poe Zhao, based in Beijing. “They are also the most relatable form factor to both the public and policymakers.”
In a rapidly developing market, early attention becomes a crucial resource. Last year, China was responsible for 90% of approximately 13,000 humanoid robots shipped worldwide, outpacing U.S. competitors like Tesla’s Optimus, according to research from Omdia. Morgan Stanley predicts the number of humanoid robot sales in China will more than double this year, reaching about 28,000 units.
Elon Musk has remarked that Chinese companies are likely to be Tesla’s biggest rivals as the automaker shifts its focus toward embodied AI and its flagship humanoid, Optimus.
“People underestimate China, but the country is a next-level force when it comes to innovation,” Musk said last month.
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