Humanoid robots steal spotlight at China’s Spring Festival Gala, transforming the country’s most-watched television event into a high-profile demonstration of China’s ambitions in robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. What began as a cultural celebration welcoming the Lunar New Year has increasingly become a platform where technology companies seek national recognition — and, crucially, signals of political approval from Beijing.
This year’s gala, broadcast nationwide by state television, featured humanoid robots performing comedy routines, synchronized dance numbers, martial arts displays, and even acrobatic sequences alongside human performers. The spectacle captured the public imagination and quickly shifted attention toward the companies behind the machines, many of which are racing to commercialize humanoid robotics in a slowing domestic economy.
Within hours of the broadcast, analysts reported a sharp spike in consumer interest. According to Morgan Stanley, orders for robot-related products on the ecommerce platform JD.com more than doubled immediately after the gala aired. For robotics firms, the exposure was not merely cultural but commercial, reinforcing the perception that their technology aligns with China’s national priorities.
A television stage with political weight
The Spring Festival Gala occupies a unique position in Chinese society. Watched by hundreds of millions of viewers, it is both entertainment and messaging tool, blending tradition with signals about the country’s future direction. Technology firms whose products appear on the broadcast often benefit from a powerful halo effect, suggesting implicit state endorsement.
Jiang Zheyuan, the 28-year-old founder of Beijing-based Noetix, whose humanoid robots appeared during the show, described the gala as a high-stakes amplifier. In remarks to local media, he said success could propel a company to instant fame, while failure could be humiliating on a national stage.
For many startups, the risk is worth taking. China’s leadership has repeatedly emphasized advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and robotics as pillars of long-term economic resilience, particularly as the workforce ages and labor shortages emerge in factories and service industries.
Commercial reality lags behind spectacle
Despite the dazzling performances, analysts caution that widespread commercial adoption of humanoid robots remains some distance away. Morningstar analyst Cheng Wang noted that less than 20 percent of robot shipments in China last year were used in commercial applications such as manufacturing or services. The majority were deployed in entertainment, education, research, or promotional contexts.
Still, the rapid pace of technological improvement is difficult to ignore. At last year’s gala, Hangzhou-based robotics firm Unitree rose to prominence when its H1 humanoid robots performed a coordinated banner dance. That performance helped propel Unitree to become the second-largest humanoid robot producer by deliveries, according to data from Omdia.
Just one year later, Unitree returned with a more advanced showcase. A group of silver G1 humanoids executed backflips, complex acrobatics, and even a stylized form of “drunken” kung fu — a fluid martial arts style associated with the Shaolin Temple. While experts believe the routine was preprogrammed, the robots’ balance, coordination, and motion control drew widespread praise.
Advancing the hardware frontier
Marco Wang, an analyst at Interact Analysis, described Unitree’s G1 as one of the most advanced hardware platforms currently available. He noted that it has effectively become an industry benchmark for researchers studying bipedal movement.
Beyond choreography, the robots demonstrated more generalized behaviors, such as posture correction and coordinated interaction with human performers. These abilities, while still limited, hint at progress toward machines capable of adapting to less structured environments — a key requirement for real-world deployment.
In an interview with state broadcaster CCTV, Unitree founder Wang Xingxing said robotics technology in China had advanced rapidly over the past year. He expressed hope that humanoid robots could eventually take on dangerous or physically demanding jobs, reducing risks to human workers.
Hands, faces, and human-like presence
If mobility is one challenge, manipulation remains another. Developing multifunctional robotic hands with sufficient sensitivity and durability has long been a hurdle for robot makers. Beijing-based Galbot showcased a humanoid capable of folding T-shirts, retrieving bottles from shelves, and delicately rolling walnuts between its fingers — tasks that require precise force control.
Galbot says its robots are designed for household and retail environments, such as shops and pharmacies. However, analysts caution that the gala’s pre-recorded segments make it difficult to assess how these systems would perform under real-world conditions.
Galbot’s demonstration included a sequence in which its humanoid carefully picked up irregular shards of broken glass. Analysts at Morgan Stanley said this suggested a higher level of integration between perception, grasp planning, and controlled force — an important step beyond purely staged movement. The company is backed by Chinese battery giant CATL, underscoring the growing interest of established industrial players in robotics.
At another point in the broadcast, humanoids from MagicLab danced to a pop song titled “The Future of Intelligent Manufacturing.” Yet some analysts believe the true near-term commercial promise lies not with humanoids, but with quadruped robots.
Robot dogs and emotional companionship
At a separate venue, hundreds of robot dogs — dubbed “MagicDogs” — performed a synchronized routine while wearing panda costumes. The display highlighted significant progress in large-scale coordination, according to Morgan Stanley analysts.
MagicLab, based in the eastern city of Wuxi, markets its larger quadruped robots for industrial use, emphasizing their ability to carry heavy loads and navigate difficult terrain. Other companies, including Unitree, have promoted robot dogs for hazardous tasks such as firefighting. Chinese state television has also aired footage of robotic “wolves” used in military training exercises.
Yet MagicLab sees emotional support and companionship as a major opportunity. Analysts argue that quadrupeds may reach consumers faster than humanoids due to simpler control systems, greater stability, and clearer use cases — particularly as companion devices for elderly users.
Blurring entertainment and eldercare
One of the most talked-about sketches of the night featured robots designed to resemble household companions. In a comedic scene, a grandmother is surrounded by multiple robot helpers, prompting her grandson to exclaim in frustration as the machines perform backflips on command.
The true innovation, analysts noted, was not the movement but the appearance. Noetix unveiled a humanoid with a highly realistic human face modeled after a well-known Chinese comedian. The facial expressions and presence were designed to evoke familiarity and emotional connection.
According to Morgan Stanley, realistic facial interaction could become a key differentiator in household and eldercare scenarios, where perceived empathy and companionship may matter as much as functional performance. As China’s population ages rapidly, such applications align closely with national policy goals.
Symbolism beyond technology
As humanoid robots steal spotlight at China’s Spring Festival Gala, the event underscores more than just technical progress. It reflects how Beijing is framing the future — one where advanced robotics supports economic growth, addresses demographic challenges, and reinforces technological self-reliance.
For robotics companies, the gala is not simply a stage but a signal. Appearing on it can attract investors, partners, and customers almost overnight. Yet the gap between spectacle and scalability remains wide.
Still, the momentum is undeniable. Each year, the performances grow more sophisticated, the movements more fluid, and the ambitions more explicit. While humanoid robots may not soon replace human workers en masse, their prominence at China’s most symbolic broadcast suggests they are firmly embedded in the country’s vision of what comes next.
As China continues to merge tradition with technology, the Spring Festival Gala has become a mirror of national priorities — and this year, that reflection was unmistakably robotic.
