Chinese New Year Kicks Off with Kung Fu Robots

China opened its Lunar New Year celebrations with robots performing kung fu and breakdancing, showing how fast its humanoid robot technology is developing.

Two dozen robots built by Unitree moved in sync with punches, kicks, backflips, and obstacle vaults that Chinese officials described as a demonstration of “precision, power, and perfect balance.” Some used nunchucks and reached running speeds of up to nine miles per hour.

The performance aired during the Spring Festival Gala, which is one of China’s biggest annual television events.

Unitree, which sold about 5,500 robots last year, says it plans to produce between 10,000 and 20,000 units in 2026 and is preparing for a stock market listing in Shanghai valued at around $7 billion. According to The Telegraph, China accounted for 90% of global humanoid robot production last year.

US companies, like Tesla, are also working on humanoid robots, but on a much smaller scale.