Humanoid robots engage in football matches for the first time in China
China Showcases Global Leadership in Robotics at World Humanoid Games
China is making strides in the global robotics industry, with a comprehensive national strategy aimed at leading the field. The country's efforts, rooted in the Made in China 2025 policy, are accelerating innovation, commercialization, and deployment of AI-powered robots, particularly humanoids.
The 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games, held in Beijing, serve as a testament to China's commitment. This is the first event to focus specifically on robots that resemble human bodies, with hundreds of teams from 16 countries participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics' National Speed Skating Oval in the Chinese capital.
China already leads the world as the largest market for industrial robots, and the government has shown significant support for the sector. In March, China announced a one-trillion-yuan fund ($139 billion) to support technology startups, including those in robotics and AI.
The competition features a variety of events, including traditional sports like athletics and basketball, as well as practical tasks such as medicine categorization and cleaning. Domestically, authorities are working to raise awareness of the robotics sector across society.
One parent, Cui Han, mentioned that her son's school organized and paid for a trip to the Games to encourage learning about new technologies. An 18-year-old spectator named Chen Ruiyuan plans to study automation at university and believes the Games can cultivate his passion for the field.
However, the competition has not been without its challenges. In one five-a-side football event, robots the size of seven-year-olds often got stuck or fell over en masse. During one race, a robot collided with a human operator, causing the operator to fall, but the robot remained standing.
Despite these hiccups, China's humanoid robots are making impressive strides. In a 1500m race, a humanoid robot named Unitree outpaced its competitors with an impressive speed. The fastest robot observed by AFP finished the race in 6 minutes and 29.37 seconds, significantly slower than the human men's world record of 3:26.00.
Joost Weerheim, an operator with a Dutch five-a-side robot football team, believes China is rapidly becoming a world leader in robotics. The crowd at the competition, despite occasional setbacks, remains enthusiastic, happily cheering when a struggling robot finally manages to get back up.
China's approach to robotics and AI is a state-led, well-financed, and globally-oriented campaign that leverages coordinated investments, policy support, and international cooperation to accelerate innovation and commercialization in robotics. This approach is increasingly influencing the global robotics industry by advancing humanoid robotics deployment, competing with Western technology leaders, and shaping international AI governance.
- The 2022 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing has integrated traditional sports like athletics and basketball, as well as practical tasks, to encourage an understanding of new technologies across society.
- China's progress in robotics and artificial intelligence is evident in the impressive performance of a humanoid robot named Unitree, which outpaced its competitors in a 1500m race.
- As China continues to lead the global robotics industry, Joost Weerheim, an operator with a Dutch five-a-side robot football team, echoes this sentiment, observing that China is rapidly becoming a world leader in the field.
