China’s World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing displayed both rapid advances and conspicuous weaknesses in humanoid robotics, combining impressive athletic demonstrations with crashes, breakdowns and comic mishaps. The event mattered as a public assertion of China’s technological ambitions, highlighting the country’s manufacturing strength while suggesting that robots remain far from fully reliable or autonomous.

More than 2,000 humanoid robots from over 660 mainly Chinese companies took part in events including sprinting, boxing, breakdancing and obstacle courses. China produced 12,800 humanoid robots last year, about 90% of global output, while Beijing is promoting the sector to address labour shortages, support military ambitions and expand surveillance capabilities; the showcase also came ahead of a US-China summit and amid US restrictions on Chinese robots.