HANGZHOU, March 12 (Xinhua) — The world of robotics may have just found a new martial arts master. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi).

HANGZHOU (Xinhua), March 12, (Xinhua). The world of robotics might have just discovered a new martial artist. In a viral video, Unitree Robotics released a video of the Unitree G1 robot performing a series of kung-fu moves. The robot threw punches, and even landed a 720 degree spinning kick. This achievement was hailed by the Hangzhou-based firm as unprecedented on their official social media accounts. Unitree attributes the robot’s agility

to its ever-evolving algorithm, which allows it to “learn any move, any time.”

Huang Jiawei is the company’s director of marketing, and attributes Unitree’s rapid progress to the strong focus on independent R&D. “That’s why our products — whether quadruped robotic dogs or humanoid robots — are becoming more refined, more stable, and continuously surprising people.”

The Chinese company made a big impact on China’s 2025, one of the most watched television shows in the country, by sending 16 humanoid robotic dancers to perform with human dancers. They demonstrated their advanced motion control, and synchronization abilities. Zhejiang Province (where Hangzhou is located) has been at China’s forefront in robotics. In 2017, Zhejiang Province, where Hangzhou is located, was the first province in China to introduce a dedicated “robot plus” plan aimed at accelerating investment and policy assistance in the sector. Hangzhou is a major tech hub with more than 200 robot companies.

Across China, distinct humanoid robotic industrial clusters are forming. The Yangtze River Delta region and the Pearl River Delta region, leveraging the strengths of the mechanical and electronic industries, have become hubs for humanoid robots. The former is home of many robot body and component companies while the latter has become an attractive place for innovative firms.

Citi analysts predict that the global humanoid robots industry will reach 7 trillion U.S. dollar by 2050.

China, a major player in this field, will likely secure a significant share. Market projections indicate that China’s humanoid robotic market could reach 6 trillion yuan (836,87 billion dollars) by mid-century. Approximately 59 million units are expected to be in operation.

Government data and research confirm this trajectory. Morgan Stanley reported in “The Humanoid 100: Mapping the Humanoid Robot Value Chain,” that 45 percent of integrators and 56 percent of related companies are located in China.

According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, by the end of 2024 the number of smart robot companies in China had reached 451,700. The total registered capital was 6.44 trillion yuan. The number of companies had increased by 206.73 per cent since the end of 2020. This reflects the meteoric rise of the sector.

China’s government places a lot of emphasis on future industries such as AI and humanoid robots. Seven government departments, including Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued guidelines last year to promote their development. The guideline urged the development of signature products, enrichment of application scenarios, and optimization industrial supporting systems in future industries, focusing on six key areas including manufacturing, information and materials, energy, space and health.

“Humanoid robots represent the ultimate ideal of robotics,” Xiong Rong is the director of Zhejiang’s humanoid robotic innovation center.

The humanoid robots combine mechanics, electrical engineering and materials science with sensing technology, computing, and computing to achieve a human-like function. Xiong said that they are widely recognized as the pinnacle in robotics technology, and a key indicator for a nation’s technological capabilities.

Xiong said to Xinhua, if humanoid robotics are widely adopted, they could replace people in the completion dangerous, repetitive, or tedious tasks. This would help address future labor shortages. She noted that this would have a transformational impact on the economic and social development.

Despite rapid development, experts warn that there are still several obstacles. Consider robots that provide care. Safety, ethics, and public acceptance are still hot topics.

“Breakthroughs in foundational AI theory are critical for mass adoption,” Qiu Jiefan is an associate professor of Zhejiang University of Technology. He has called for increased support for basic research in the fields of physics and materials science, as well as mathematics, to ensure that humanoid robotics reach their fullest potential. # (February 20, 2025) A visitor takes pictures of the robotic dogs in the Unitree Robotics exhibition hall in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province east China. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi).

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Humanoid Robots are trained to swing arms at the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center in Ningbo. East China’s Zhejiang Province. Feb. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zheng Keyi)