BEIJING, 9 February 2026 – China’s rapidly advancing robotics industry is stepping into the global spotlight as humanoid robots perform song, dance, and comedy routines during Lunar New Year celebrations, underscoring the country’s growing ambition to dominate the emerging humanoid robotics sector.
What was once confined to laboratories and industrial automation is now becoming mainstream entertainment, as Chinese robotics firms use high-profile cultural events to demonstrate their technological capabilities to consumers, investors, and government officials.
Shanghai-based robotics start-up Agibot recently hosted a live-streamed variety show featuring humanoid robots performing acrobatics, lip-syncing ballads, executing comedy sketches, and interacting with audiences. The performance attracted an estimated 1.4 million viewers on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, highlighting strong public interest in humanoid robotics technology.
Agibot described the event as “the world’s first robot-powered gala,” marking a major milestone in the commercialisation and public acceptance of humanoid robotics.
Spring Festival Gala Emerges as Strategic Platform for Robotics Firms
China’s annual Spring Festival Gala, broadcast by state-run China Central Television (CCTV), has become an increasingly important platform for robotics companies to showcase innovation.
In 2025, a group of 16 humanoid robots developed by Unitree Robotics performed alongside human dancers during the gala, capturing widespread attention and demonstrating China’s progress in advanced robotics.
This year, four robotics firms, Unitree, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab, are expected to participate in the nationally televised event, further cementing robotics as a symbol of China’s technological advancement.
Such high-profile exposure has proven influential. Following Unitree’s televised performance last year, its founder was invited to attend a symposium chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping, highlighting the strategic importance of robotics development to China’s national technology agenda.
Unitree has since been preparing for a potential initial public offering, reflecting investor interest in humanoid robotics companies.
Robotics Firms Use Entertainment to Accelerate Commercialisation
China’s robotics companies are increasingly using entertainment as a powerful marketing tool to accelerate adoption and attract funding.
Agibot’s robot-powered gala involved more than 200 humanoid robots and was streamed across multiple platforms including Douyin, Weibo, RedNote, and traditional television networks, dramatically expanding its audience reach.
By demonstrating robots’ ability to perform complex tasks such as dancing, interacting with humans, and responding to environmental cues, companies are showcasing practical capabilities that extend beyond entertainment.
Agibot says its humanoid robots are designed for diverse applications, including education, manufacturing, and service industries, reflecting the growing commercial potential of robotics across multiple sectors.
The company is also planning an initial public offering in Hong Kong, signalling confidence in long-term growth prospects for humanoid robotics.
China Positions Itself as Global Leader in Humanoid Robotics
China’s robotics industry is rapidly emerging as a global competitor to Western companies, including Tesla, which is developing its own humanoid robot, Optimus.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has acknowledged that Chinese firms represent the strongest competitive threat in robotics, underscoring the technological progress achieved by China’s robotics sector.
Chinese robotics companies benefit from strong government support, a large domestic market, and access to advanced manufacturing capabilities, enabling rapid development and scaling of new technologies.
Entertainment demonstrations also play a strategic role in accelerating public acceptance of robotics, helping integrate robots into everyday life.
One Chinese social media commentator noted that robots developing humour and cultural awareness could accelerate human-machine interaction faster than expected.
Strategic Implications: Robotics Emerges as China’s Next Technology Frontier
The increasing visibility of humanoid robots in mainstream entertainment reflects a broader shift in China’s technology strategy.
Humanoid robotics is expected to become a key pillar of China’s next wave of technological innovation, alongside artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and electric vehicles.
For investors, robotics represents a potentially transformative growth sector, with applications spanning manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, retail, and consumer services.
China’s ability to integrate robotics into both industrial and consumer environments positions it as a leading force in shaping the future of automation.
As humanoid robots transition from novelty performances to practical real-world deployment, China’s robotics firms are positioning themselves at the forefront of one of the most important technological revolutions of the coming decade.
