Innovation, self-reliance become hallmarks of China's tech startups

UBTECH is one such firm. With a leading edge in humanoid and intelligent service robots, the company was among the 10 entities to found the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center in 2023, opening access to more than 300 patents. Earlier this month, the Tien Kung Ultra robot developed by the center claimed victory among the machines competing in the world's first humanoid robot half marathon, which was held in Beijing.

Michael Tam, chief brand officer at UBTECH, said that by the end of 2024, the company boasted 2,680 authorized patents, and more than 90 percent of the core accessories used in its humanoid robots were developed domestically.

Its latest industrial humanoid robot, Walker S1, has undergone real-scenario practical training at automakers, logistics companies and manufacturers, undertaking tasks from handling and sorting goods to installing parts and conducting quality control tests, according to Tam.

Riding the wave of China's burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) sector, Shenzhen is taking measures to expand the scale of its humanoid and intelligent robot industries. An action plan aims for about 1,200 related companies to be established by 2027, creating a market of more than 100 billion yuan ($13.9 billion).