Prøve GULL - Gratis
Fun or fearsome? China's dancing robots show off tech prowess
The Guardian
|February 19, 2026
Dancing humanoid robots took centre stage on Monday during the annual China Media Group's Spring Festival Gala, China's most watched official TV broadcast.
They lunged and backflipped (landing on their knees). Not one fell over.
The display was impressive, but prompted some to wonder: if robots can now dance and perform martial arts, what else can they do? Experts have mixed opinions, with some saying the robots had limitations and that the display should be viewed through a lens of state propaganda.
Developed by several Chinese robotics firms, the robots performed a range of intricate stunts, including kung fu, comedy sketches and dance moves alongside human performers.
Clips circulating online drew comparisons with last year's lunar new year broadcast, which also featured dancing robots but with noticeably simpler movements.
Kyle Chan, an expert in China's technology development at Brookings Institution, a policy organisation in Washington DC, said Beijing uses these public robot performances to "dazzle domestic and international audiences with China's technological prowess".
Denne historien er fra February 19, 2026-utgaven av The Guardian.
Abonner på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av kuraterte premiumhistorier og over 9000 magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
FLERE HISTORIER FRA The Guardian
The Guardian
Retailer eBay buys Depop for $1.2bn as it tries to lure young buyers
The online retailer eBay has agreed to buy the British secondhand fashion resale app Depop from Etsy for about $1.2bn (£890m) in cash, as eBay targets younger fashion-loving consumers.
2 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
Gunners lead clubs striving to keep disabled fans in the game
The Emirates Stadium has made huge strides improving facilities to ensure the needs of all supporters are met
4 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
Bullying claims from 2017 dog Starmer's new civil service chief
Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Antonia Romeo as the country’s most senior civil servant has prompted dismay among former colleagues who complained about what they considered bullying behaviour when she was a diplomat in New York.
3 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
FBI investigated Giuffre's claims against Andrew in 2011, files show
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been on the radar of US law enforcement for nearly 15 years, documents released by the US Department of Justice have revealed.
3 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
Park’s stunner helps United tee up Bayern quarter-final
Jess Park provided a timely demonstration of her qualities as her superb, long-range goal capped off a confident individual performance that helped Manchester United progress to the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with aresounding win over Atlético Madrid.
2 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
Disaffected in Denton Many voters seek a change for their ‘lost town’
If you’re unsure whether you’ve crossed the border from Manchester into Tameside, the Reform posters will probably give it away.
5 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
Drone unit to combat illegal waste dumping in England
A new drone unit will be deployed to investigate illegal waste dumping across England, the government is to announce today.
2 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
Deportations Campaigners say airlines should stop 'cruel' flights
Campaigners have urged airlines deporting asylum seekers to France as part of the UK's controversial \"one in, one out\" scheme to stop facilitating the \"cruel and forced deportations\".
1 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
'We've survived but it's tough'
Kyiv zoo braves bombardment and blackouts to save animals
3 mins
February 20, 2026
The Guardian
Future fighter jets Europe struggles to unite behind a common project
France and Germany’s hopes of building a fighter jet of the future, an aircraft so advanced it was meant to come with a swarm of drones and a “combat communications cloud”, are facing collapse.
5 mins
February 20, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size