Humanoid robots grab limelight on global stage

Online videos of humanoid robots performing kung fu during China's Spring Festival Gala have swept across Western social media.

As the Chinese New Year was celebrated around the world, China's humanoid robots were no longer confined to screens. From the Middle East to North America, these machines stepped into public spaces, performing, interacting and offering global audiences a closer look at China's robotics technologies.

At the United Nations in New York last month, a robotic lion dancer, a panda-shaped robot and three humanoid robots performed at a Chinese New Year gala.

"I'm quite impressed by this kind of display of technology, and I know that China is a leader in technology," Yuri Gala Lopez, Cuba's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told China Daily. "We want to wish them all the best in their development in the technological, economic and social fields."

Dima Al-Khatib, director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, said that she found the performance "very impressive", adding she looked forward to learning more about China's technological progress this year.

"We are very much looking forward to the visit this year to explore further how, through technology transfer and support, we can bring it to other countries of the Global South," she told China Daily.

In Canada, Chinese technological innovations were integrated into Spring Festival celebrations, with robot performances and immersive augmented reality experiences showcasing Chinese cultural heritage sites.

"Spring Festival is traditional, but I believe technology has already become part of Chinese culture," Blur Wu, founder of the Toronto Spring Festival Fireworks Celebration, told China Daily. "The combination of tradition and modern technology represents the image of China today."

Last year, around 16,000 humanoid robots were installed worldwide, with China accounting for more than 80 percent, according to Counterpoint Research in January.