Advanced robots made in China are rapidly expanding their presence by winning championship cups at global competitions and showcasing spectacular performances on stages. Particularly in the humanoid sector, China has gained an advantage in market leadership competition by entering the mass production stage ahead of the United States. As the U.S. also accelerates robot industry development, the U.S.-China hegemony competition is expanding from artificial intelligence (AI) to the robotics field.
On Dec. 22, China’s state-run Global Times reported that the Chinese national team recently defeated the U.S. team in the robot battle finals at The Games of the Future (GOTF) 2025, a digital sports competition held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, claiming the championship. China’s self-designed and manufactured Deep Sea Shark 3 showcased overwhelming performance with its 110kg weight class, consecutively defeating opponents. Team leader Chi Wen-jie revealed the secret to victory, stating, “We applied an algorithm to the circuit that suppresses current surges when robots stop during combat situations, preventing motor overload.” Global Times evaluated this as “a case demonstrating that Chinese robotics technology has made a significant leap forward.”
Chinese robots are also making remarkable performances on entertainment stages. At Taiwan-American singer-songwriter Wang Leehom’s concert held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province on Dec. 18, six humanoid robot dancers appeared. These robots were reportedly manufactured by Chinese robotics company Unitree Robotics, which gained attention for their synchronized performance at the Spring Festival Gala. Videos circulated on social networking services (SNS) show the robots performing arm-waving and leg-kicking movements to music, and at the performance’s climax, they executed forward somersaults that would be difficult even for humans, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the audience. Local media reported that these robots could perform such high-intensity movements through dynamic balance control systems. With fast operational response speeds and environmental recognition capabilities, they avoided collisions with people and structures even in complex lighting and crowded situations. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was so impressed that he shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), commenting “Impressive” and “Chinese robots are now doing everything on stage.”
Various statistics also demonstrate the remarkable growth of China’s robotics industry. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), China’s new industrial robot installations last year reached 170,000 units, accounting for 57.6% of global new installations. Already by 2023, Chinese-made robots comprised 54% of their domestic market, showing rapid technological independence progress. Cho Eun-kyo, a researcher at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, analyzed, “Market demand expansion, government support, and domestic supply chain strengthening are growth factors for China’s robotics industry.”
China is particularly solidifying its position as an absolute powerhouse in the humanoid robot field. According to global investment bank Morgan Stanley, China’s humanoid robot-related patent applications over the past five years totaled 7,705, five times more than the United States (1,561). This year’s humanoid market share was also highest for China at 30%, followed by the United States (25%) and Japan (10%). Earlier this month, Shanghai-based startup Agibot surpassed 5,000 cumulative humanoid robot production units, overtaking overseas competitors including Tesla in the mass production speed race. Agibot founder Peng Zhihui presented future blueprints, stating, “We will build a production system for 10 thousand units next year and 100,000 units in the long term.”
However, concerns about overheating are growing alongside rapid growth. China’s top economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, emphasized, “Over 150 companies are flooding the market with similar types of humanoid robots,” and “We must prevent situations where excessively similar models overflow the market and erode research and development (R&D) capacity.” Immediately after this statement, robot-related stocks that had surged this year plummeted simultaneously, raising bubble concerns among investors. Morgan Stanley warned, “While 62% of Chinese corporate executives expressed intentions to introduce robots within three years, only 23% were satisfied with current products,” adding “Considering technological maturity and costs, time is needed for commercialization.”
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