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China showcased advanced humanoid robots performing kung fu at its Spring Festival ceremony, with Unitree planning to produce up to 20,000 units and list them in Shanghai.
Humanoid robots performed martial arts and parkour during a Spring Festival ceremony, highlighting China’s rapid progress in robotics. (Image: X)
China unveiled a new generation of humanoid robots that perform kung fu, parkour and dance during the Spring Festival Gala, the country’s largest television event, in a show that highlights rapid progress in robotics.
Dozens of humanoid robots performed martial arts sequences in what the Chinese embassy in Washington described as a demonstration of “precision, strength and perfect balance.” The show was broadcast across the country on Lunar New Year’s Eve, with the annual ceremony widely seen as a major cultural event and a platform for the country’s messaging.
The robot display included punching, kicking and back-flipping machines in unison, using nunchucks, jumping over obstacles, and running at speeds of up to nine miles per hour. Three other robotics companies also participated: Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab.
China has unveiled kung fu-performing robots as part of a broader effort to highlight their technological capabilities, a move… Telegraph The report was intended to point to the country’s growing strength in advanced manufacturing and robotics.
Unitree, the company behind the robots, said it plans to build up to 20,000 humans this year after selling about 5,500 units last year. Its CEO Wang Xingxing said production could range between 10,000 and 20,000 units, with the machines typically marketed for industrial uses such as work in car factories. The company also plans to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange at a valuation of about $7 billion.
NEW: China unveils humanoid kung fu robots to show off its “technological might” to the West, according to The Telegraph. About twenty robots were seen performing martial arts, parkour, and breakdancing.
The show was broadcast on state television during China… pic.twitter.com/BukVOYQh36
– Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 17, 2026
According to industry estimates cited TelegraphChina accounted for about 90 percent of the global humanoid robot market last year. Beijing’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had previously said it wanted to deploy thousands of humanoid robots on farms, factories and homes by 2025, and capabilities are expected to improve significantly by 2027.
The performance represents a marked improvement from last year’s show, when the robots appeared less coordinated on stage. The Chinese Embassy in the United States said the pace of progress shows how quickly technology is developing.
China’s rapid progress has also raised security concerns in the West. US think tank RAND warned last year that reliance on Chinese robotics companies could create dependence on important dual-use technology, while a US government report in 2024 said Beijing was supporting the sector through subsidies, tax breaks and development zones.
Beijing has not explicitly said that it plans military uses for humanoid robots, according to what the British newspaper “Daily Mail” reported. TelegraphSome Chinese military officials have expressed unease about their potential role.
American companies are also expanding in this field, but on a smaller manufacturing scale. Tesla is working on developing its Optimus robot, and a new model is expected to be unveiled soon, and Elon Musk said that the company aims to produce up to one million units annually.
Washington, D.C., United States of America (USA)
18 February 2026 at 01:25 IST
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