During the annual Spring Festival Gala this year, one of the most-watched television programs in the world, humanoid robots captivated audiences with performances that included synchronized martial arts, acrobatics and cultural choreography.

Robots manufactured by domestic companies such as Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix and MagicLab executed complex moves alongside human performers.

According to Al Jazeera, the performance showcased China's rapid progress in humanoid robotics, a field whose long-term potential is seen primarily in industrial and agricultural applications.

"People should absolutely be taking these robots seriously," Reyk Knuhtsen, an analyst at SemiAnalysis, told CNBC. "After this Spring Festival Gala demonstration, they're becoming visibly more lean, fluid, and capable."

In an online CNBC report, Sam Altman, CEO of the U.S.-based OpenAI, described the progress of Chinese technology companies as "remarkable" and "amazingly fast" across many fields, including AI and robotics, speaking about competition in emerging technologies.

Altman said Chinese firms are advancing quickly and in some areas are "near the frontier" of innovation.

These comments come amid intense global competition to develop general AI and integrate advanced AI into industry, services, and national infrastructure.

According to research firm Omdia, China accounted for about 90 percent of global humanoid robot shipments in 2025 and Morgan Stanley projects that China's humanoid sales will more than double to 28,000 units this year. This indicates that China will continue to dominate this sector worldwide.

Scholars say China's advantages in hardware supply chains, application scenarios, and policy support make it well prepared for a new wave of technological revolution represented by embodied intelligence.

"The fundamental advantage that China has is a nearly vertically integrated robotics value chain: from the rare earths and high-performance magnets to the physical components, and the batteries," Zornitsa Todorova, head of thematic FICC research at Barclays, told CNBC.

As Chinese manufacturers push technological boundaries, the government is promoting frameworks for global AI governance, advocating international cooperation on safe and ethical deployment of AI.

China has put forward initiatives such as the Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative and proposals for international AI cooperation organizations to develop global norms around the technology.

A recent editorial in Nature said that an AI arms race will not guarantee greater safety or prosperity for people. All parties need to reach a consensus on AI safety and its use. The article also emphasized that China's proposal to establish a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization should be welcomed, and researchers and authorities around the world should engage.