A more modern reality is changing global perceptions

For Victoria, a visitor from Denmark, her trip to China this summer proved eye-opening: scenes she had seen on TikTok suddenly became vividly real and tangible. Inside a shopping mall in Shanghai, Victoria joined crowds gathered around a makeshift boxing ring outside Unitree Robotics'.

Two humanoid robots in pink and red helmets sparred before onlookers, and she pulled out her phone to capture the moment. She describes China's rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics as something "revolutionary, new and exciting".

What Happened

She also recalls watching a humanoid robot brew a cup of tea. For her, such novel encounters are far more than entertaining novelties — they are vivid evidence that China's tech breakthroughs are moving beyond labs and factory floors and into everyday.

• The rapid growth of China's robotics and embodied AI industry was on full display at the 2026 World Robot Conference, which recently concluded in Beijing.

• The event drew over 300 exhibitors from 26 countries and regions, who showcased more than 3,000 cutting-edge tech products and offered the world an up-close look at China's fast-evolving robotics sector.

• A WRC report also revealed that China shipped more than 40,000 humanoid robots in the first half of 2026, accounting for 97 percent of global shipments.

Key Details

Xu Xiaolan, president of the Chinese Institute of Electronics, said at the conference that China's embodied AI industry has entered a critical phase of large-scale commercial application, with products moving from small-scale trials to widespread market deployment. China has developed more than.

• In 2008, Rebecca Fannin, author of Silicon Dragon, predicted the rise of China's tech sector in her book, a forecast that was widely dismissed at the time.

• Official figures recorded 22.9 million inbound foreign arrivals in China during the first half of 2026, a 20.4-percent year-on-year increase.

• A July Pew Research Center survey of 42,151 adults worldwide found that respondents in 25 of the 36 countries polled hold favorable views of China.

Why It Matters

As China's tech sector, particularly the robotics industry, flourishes, global perceptions of the country's technological capabilities are undergoing a profound shift. Fannin said global audiences increasingly recognize China as a leading innovative nation, as Chinese-made products ranging from humanoid robots and electric.

• Separately, the 2026 Global Soft Power Index, compiled by London-based consultancy Brand Finance, ranked China second globally, with a score only 1.4 points lower than that of the United States.

• He pictures them savoring its slow-paced joys: dancing alongside local seniors and stopping to sip warm goji berry tea from a thermos flask.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by China Daily Global Edition as more details emerge