Watch: China's humanoid robots in impressive Lunar New Year performance

Unitree Robotics gained significant attention for its humanoid robots' performance at China’s 2026 Spring Festival Gala, where the robots executed complex martial arts routines and trampoline jumps without human intervention. Building on this, Unitree released a new video showcasing over 40 G1 robots performing a synchronized routine that formed a New Year’s message visible from above. The performance demonstrated advanced coordination using the company’s "Cluster Cooperative Rapid Scheduling System," with robots achieving trampoline somersaults up to 3 meters high and running speeds of 4 m/s, drawing comparisons to Boston Dynamics’ gymnastics demonstrations. Looking ahead, Unitree plans to expand its market reach substantially, aiming to ship approximately 20,000 humanoid robots in 2026—nearly four times the 5,500 units shipped in 2025. This ambitious scale-up reflects the company’s focus on wide-scale deployment as a critical next step for robotics. The article also references Elon Musk’s competing efforts with Tesla’s Optimus robot,