The 2026 World Robot Conference (WRC) officially opened in Beijing on August 19, marking China's biggest robotics showcase of the year. Under the theme "Human-Robot Symbiosis, Production-Demand Convergence," the event runs through August 23 at the Beiren Yichuang International Convention and Exhibition Center.
More than 300 exhibitors are displaying over 2,000 exhibits, with more than 150 new product launches expected during the five-day event. Robots at the conference demonstrated remarkable capabilities — boxing, dancing, sorting parcels with precision, and even playing the piano — drawing crowds of industry professionals and technology enthusiasts.
The conference comes at a pivotal moment for China's robotics industry, which has seen explosive growth driven by artificial intelligence advances. China has emerged as a global leader in both industrial and consumer robotics, with companies like Unitree Robotics — which recently went public in Shanghai with a 629% IPO debut — leading the charge.
Key themes at this year's WRC include AI-powered robotics, human-robot interaction, intelligent control systems, and the integration of large language models into robotic decision-making. The event also features academic symposia and technical papers from researchers around the world.
The conference underscores China's strategic push to dominate the global robotics market, with the government viewing robotics as a "jewel on the crown of manufacturing" and a critical component of its industrial modernization strategy.
