The 2026 Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, co-organized by the Beijing Municipal Government and the China Central Television, will be held in the Yizhuang Economic and Technological Development Zone in Beijing on April 19, with the participation of more than 70 Chinese and international robot teams. The 21-kilometer half marathon can be said to be a test of human endurance, while for robots, it is a test of the limits of robotic technology.
As the world’s first humanoid robot half marathon, the purpose of organizing this event is not only to show off robotic technology, but also to promote the wider use of humanoid robots. And accelerate the integration of technology and industry, so that artificial intelligence products can serve the benefits of both production and living in a wider range.
In recent years, the development of global artificial intelligence technologies such as large-scale models, humanoid robots, autonomous driving, and intelligent manufacturing has entered a period of rapid development. China has seized the opportunity of this historic technological revolution, taking a step forward from the stage of learning from its own technology to independently researching new achievements to the rapid development of artificial intelligence, creating the most complete and vibrant artificial intelligence ecosystem in the world. Because China has adopted an open, win-win and mutually beneficial attitude, many countries, especially developing and least developed countries, have shared China’s latest achievements in artificial intelligence technology.
China’s vast market and complete production chain have provided a space for cooperation and a driving force for global growth. Which has pushed China’s artificial intelligence technology development into a rapid high-speed lane. In addition, China has actively contributed to its plan for global AI governance, initiating the use of AI in a fair, open, inclusive, safe and manageable way, which is a key factor for promoting the establishment of more equitable and reasonable international rules in the field of AI.
In the past, the Global South (developing and least developed countries) relied heavily on Western AI technology. The rise of China’s AI technology has broken the monopoly of Western AI technology, balancing the Asian and European markets, and especially providing opportunities for more countries to participate in the field of AI technology, including many developing countries.
The superiority of China’s AI products has been demonstrated day by day, namely, easy to use, affordable, safe and widely applicable, serving all sectors such as health, food, Job opportunities, environment, industry, culture and people-to-people exchanges, etc.
Especially in the health sector, medical equipment equipped with Chinese artificial intelligence technology at a reasonable price has been used in many developing countries, especially in Africa with weak health systems. In addition, Brain-Computer Interface technology, a new concept in the health sector, can monitor and treat rare diseases such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), as well as single-brain disease and Parkinson’s disease, which are brain diseases.
In the field of food security, China’s smart agricultural equipment has helped many countries increase food output and reduce losses, which has made important contributions to easing the global hunger crisis.
The 2026 Humanoid Robot Half Marathon is an opportunity to test the quality, safety, maturity and usability of Chinese humanoid robot products, and an opportunity for exchanges and learning between Chinese and foreign artificial intelligence technologies to promote the development of artificial intelligence technology. We can expect that safe and controllable artificial intelligence technology will certainly make important contributions to the development of humanity in the future.
Article by: Mr. Taing Sileng, staff of Cambodia-China Friendship Radio
