A Chinese robotics company plans to ship up to 20,000 humanoid robots this year after impressing audiences with a martial arts performance on national television.
Unitree Robotics, based in Hangzhou, aims to nearly quadruple its output from about 5,500 units in 2025. The company’s robots recently showcased advanced skills like kung fu routines, somersaults, and high-speed running at CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala, demonstrating rapid progress over the past year.
Wang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree, told local media that global humanoid robot shipments could reach tens of thousands in 2026, with his company contributing 10,000 to 20,000 units. The projection follows a stunning gala performance where robots executed complex movements autonomously.
Unitree Robotics, founded by Wang Xingxing, has become a leader in China’s humanoid robotics push. The company first gained attention at the 2025 gala with basic robot movements. This year’s show featured its G1 humanoids performing fully autonomous kung fu, while H2 robots and B2-W robot dogs appeared in other segments.
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Humanoid robots still struggle in unpredictable real-world environments. The controlled gala setting with flat surfaces and steady airflow gave robots an advantage, according to tech analyst Patrick Zhang. Unitree now faces the challenge of moving from polished stage performances to practical factory and home applications.
Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year, exceeding the combined output of US rivals like Tesla and Figure AI, according to research firm Omdia. The company is now working with artificial intelligence groups to develop “brains” that help robots navigate complex environments more independently.
Despite the impressive show, Wang acknowledges humanoid robots remain in early development. “They are still limited by technical bottlenecks in embodied AI brains,” he said. Even a planned robot fall during the gala was scripted—showing that unpredictable failures still need to be managed.
China is aggressively pushing to dominate the global humanoid robot market, much like it did with electric vehicles. Government subsidies exceeding $20 billion last year helped fuel rapid growth, with the number of robot manufacturers nearly doubling to over 200. As Unitree scales up production, its progress signals how quickly these machines could enter everyday life.
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