Beijing, Aug 17 (EFE).-
Beijing will become a showcase for China’s robotics industry this week as the World Robot Conference and the World Humanoid Robot Games bring together hundreds of companies and teams amid the rapid development of the sector in the country.
The conference will begin Wednesday on the outskirts of the capital and run through Sunday, featuring a main forum, a professional exhibition, a competition and more than 60 related events, according to local media.
More than 300 companies will display about 2,000 products and unveil more than 150 new products across about 55,000 square meters (592,000 square feet), ranging from full-size humanoids to articulated hands, force sensors, joint modules and chips.
Humanoid robots will again take center stage, but the focus will shift from their ability to run, jump or perform acrobatics to their performance in industrial, logistics, medical, agricultural, hospitality and household tasks, local media reported.
The exhibition will also devote more space to components such as visual and tactile sensors, motors, reducers and control systems, while robots will take on roles as receptionists, cooks, waiters, musicians and salespeople.
Meanwhile, the second edition of the World Humanoid Robot Games will begin Saturday at the National Speed Skating Oval.
The five-day competition will bring together 666 teams from 16 countries, up from 280 teams in 2025, and expand from six to 20 scenarios modeled on real-world tasks, including factories, logistics centers, supermarkets, hotels, rescue operations and homes.
Events will also include soccer, athletics and table tennis, although organizers aim to ensure that capabilities developed during the competitions can later be transferred to commercial and industrial applications.
Despite its “World” designation, participation will remain overwhelmingly Chinese. Organizers estimate that about 30 foreign teams will take part, a small fraction of the total.
In early 2024, Chinese authorities identified humanoid robots as one of the country’s “industries of the future,” saying the technology was still at an early stage but had significant growth potential and strategic importance. That same year, China became the first country to begin mass production of humanoid robots.
China produced 556,000 industrial robots in 2024, nearly two-thirds of global production, while Chinese brands accounted for more than 80% of humanoid robots deployed in 2025, according to official data and consulting firm Omdia. EFE
aa/lds
