China Puts Humanoid Robots Center Stage at Spring Festival Gala With Unitree's Autonomous Group Kung Fu

Overview

• Unitree released footage of dozens of G1 humanoids executing what it calls the first fully autonomous group kung-fu routine, with fast sequences, weapons handling and self-recovery after falls.
• The show also featured robots from Galbot, Noetix and MagicLab, plus ByteDance’s Doubao chatbot, with segments ranging from a comedy sketch to synchronized dance.
• Unitree lists the G1 at about 35 kg and 1.32 m with 23 degrees of freedom, 3D LiDAR and a depth camera to support higher-precision group motion.
• Analysts say appearances on the gala often translate into government procurement and investor interest, with AgiBot and Unitree preparing IPOs this year.
• Research firm Omdia estimates China supplied roughly 90% of about 13,000 humanoids shipped last year, while Morgan Stanley projects domestic sales could reach about 28,000 units in 2026.