China Flexes AI Muscle at Lunar Gala In Viral Video, Showcases Kung Fu Robots to the West (WATCH)

China’s 2026 Spring Festival Gala featured advanced humanoid robots performing complex kung fu and acrobatics for a global audience. The display highlighted China’s rapid AI and robotics progress, showcasing remarkable agility and coordination.

China’s 2026 Spring Festival Gala turned into a futuristic showcase of the nation’s rapidly advancing robotics technology, featuring humanoid robots performing kung fu, martial arts and acrobatic routines during the Lunar New Year broadcast.

The spectacle, covered by The Telegraph and seen by hundreds of millions of viewers, blended cutting-edge artificial intelligence displays with traditional cultural elements, highlighting Beijing’s ambition to lead globally in robotics and innovation.

The annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala, widely regarded as the most-watched television event in the world, served as the stage for the robots’ dramatic debut. Robots developed by prominent Chinese tech firms such as Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix and MagicLab captivated audiences with tightly synchronized kung fu routines, flips, balance stunts and choreographed movements alongside human performers.

These performances marked a significant leap in abilities compared with previous years, where robots had more limited movement and basic dance routines.

The humanoid robots demonstrated physical agility and coordination previously seen only in human martial artists, performing with staffs, swords and even showcasing “drunken boxing” style movements that require precise control and balance.

Experts noted that the display was more than entertainment — it was a calculated demonstration of China’s technological prowess in AI-driven robotics and manufacturing at a moment when global competition in these fields is intensifying.

While many viewers were impressed by the spectacle, reactions were mixed online. Some hailed China’s fast progression in robotics, citing it as evidence of the country’s ambition to dominate the sector, in part supported by ambitious production targets and corporate plans for mass manufacturing. Others expressed concern about the intersection of traditional cultural celebration and high-tech automation, raising questions about the future implications of humanoid robots in society.

The gala’s integration of robots with human performers was not just a tech demo; it symbolised how China is positioning AI, robotics and automation at the center of its industrial policy, aiming to offset challenges such as an ageing population and to expand productivity. Government backing and corporate investment in robotics have grown significantly, and the gala offered one of the most visible platforms for this progress.

In addition to martial arts performances, the gala featured robots in comedic sketches, synchronized dances, and interactions that blurred the line between cultural tradition and technological innovation. As clips and reactions went viral on social media, the world saw a powerful and unusual melding of heritage and hardware on one of China’s biggest cultural stages.