China on Friday opened the World Humanoid Robot Games, a three-day international competition aimed at highlighting the country’s progress in artificial intelligence and robotics.
The event features 280 teams from 16 countries, including the United States, Germany, and Brazil, competing in both athletic and technical challenges.
The robots will participate in sports such as football, track and field, and table tennis, as well as tasks specific to robotics, including sorting medicines, handling materials, and providing cleaning services. Of the competing teams, 192 represent universities and 88 come from private enterprises, with Chinese companies such as Unitree and Fourier among the participants.
The Beijing municipal government is co-organising the event, underscoring the strategic importance Chinese authorities place on the robotics sector. The push comes as China faces the challenges of an ageing population and slowing economic growth.
Over the past year, the industry has received more than $20 billion in government subsidies, and Beijing plans to launch a one trillion yuan ($137 billion) fund to support AI and robotics startups.
In recent months, China has staged a series of high-profile robotics events, including what it called the world’s first humanoid robot marathon, a major robotics conference, and the opening of retail stores selling humanoid robots. Some of these events, such as the marathon — where several robots broke down mid-race — have drawn criticism over the current limitations of the technology.
Nonetheless, experts say such competitions are vital to advancing humanoid robotics toward real-world applications. Analysts at Morgan Stanley noted rising public interest, which they believe could help maintain China’s lead in the field by attracting talent, resources, and customers.
Booster Robotics, whose machines are competing in football through a Tsinghua University team, said the sport is an ideal testing ground for refining perception, decision-making, and control systems that could be applied in factories or homes.
