The rapid growth of China’s robotics sector was on full display during events held as part of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, which traditionally accompanies the celebrations for the Chinese New Year.

Four robotics startups — Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab — presented their humanoid robots at the gala, a TV event with massive viewership that is often likened to the Super Bowl in the United States.

In the opening sketches, robots took center stage, with the most striking moment being a large-scale martial arts demonstration. More than a dozen Unitree robots performed synchronized “combat” scenes using swords and staffs.

The show also featured Doubao, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by ByteDance, while robots from Noetix and MagicLab took part in comedic sketches and dance routines alongside human performers.

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Martial arts robots dazzle at 2026 Spring Festival Gala #CoolChina #springfestival2026

Unitree’s founder later met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a high-level technology symposium. Over the past year, the Chinese president has met with several founders of robotics companies, underscoring the importance the country’s leadership places on the sector.

Morgan Stanley estimates that sales of humanoid robots in China will exceed 28,000 units this year. Elon Musk has said he expects intense competition from Chinese companies, stressing that China should not be underestimated in technology and industry.