Manufacturing Technology
Chinese Robots Gear Up For Lunar New Year Entertainment Spotlight
Updated on Mon, Feb 9, 2026
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TL;DR
- Robots stole the Lunar New Year spotlight with song, dance, acrobatics, and comedy.
- Startups like Unitree, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab are set to appear at the CCTV gala.
- China’s humanoid robots are drawing global attention, impressing investors and Elon Musk.
Shanghai-based start-up Agibot recently live-streamed an hour-long variety show featuring over 200 of its robots performing everything from magic tricks to lip-synced ballads. Some robots even waved from the audience.
The event drew around 1.4 million viewers on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. Agibot called it “the world's first robot-powered gala,” highlighting how robotics can blend spectacle with marketing.
The timing is no coincidence. China’s state-run Spring Festival gala is a major platform for tech companies to showcase innovation. In 2025, Unitree sent 16 full-size humanoids to perform alongside human dancers on CCTV, impressing millions of viewers.
Less than three weeks later, the company’s founder was invited to a high-profile symposium chaired by President Xi Jinping, and the firm has been quietly preparing for a potential IPO. This year, four humanoid startups including Unitree, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab are set to appear at the gala.
“When robots begin to understand Lunar New Year and begin to have a sense of humour, the human-computer interaction may come faster than we think,” said Ma Hongyun, a popular photographer and writer on Weibo.
Topics For More Insights:
Globally, China is becoming a serious contender in humanoid robotics. Even Elon Musk has said that Chinese firms are the only real competition for his Optimus robot, which Tesla has promoted with stunts like robot bartenders.
For Chinese robotics makers, the Lunar New Year is a huge opportunity to prove that robots can entertain, impress investors, and push the boundaries of human-computer interaction.
The dances and tricks are fun to watch, but the bigger story is about how quickly this technology is moving from science fiction to center stage.
First published on Mon, Feb 9, 2026
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