Chinese Humanoid Robots Break World Records at Beijing Games

Chinese humanoid robots broke multiple human world records during the opening of the second World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing. A robot from X-Humanoid completed a 100-meter sprint in 9.39 seconds, surpassing Usain Bolt's 2009 record of 9.58 seconds, while another X-Humanoid unit set a standing high jump record of 2.88 meters. A robot developed by Honor Device Co., Ltd. reportedly recorded an even faster 100-meter trial time of 9.32 seconds after researchers increased its leg length to 1.05 meters.

The five-day event features 2,056 robots from 16 countries competing in 51 events, including soccer, table tennis, and logistics scenarios. While the record-breaking sprints drew headlines, the games also saw technical failures, including robots catching fire or losing limbs. Organizers noted that competing robots have become twice as fast in a single year, though industry leaders emphasized that the primary goal is testing autonomy and real-world problem solving.

Digital infrastructure for the games was provided by Huawei and China Unicom Beijing, which deployed a 5G-A GigaUplink network to support robot telemetry. The event coincides with the 2026 World Robot Conference and occurs amid heightened tensions with the United States. The Federal Communications Commission recently banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots, and the Pentagon blacklisted Unitree Robotics for alleged ties to the Chinese military.