Humanoid robots showcase combat skills ahead of world’s first robot boxing match in Hangzhou

Unitree Robotics, a key contender in an upcoming robot combat competition, brought its cutting-edge humanoid robots to a school in east China's Hangzhou City on Wednesday, offering a live demonstration of their capabilities and a hands-on science and technology lesson for students.

The visit served as a performance test for the robots ahead of the highly anticipated world’s first-ever robot boxing match, which is part of the China Media Group (CMG) World Robotics Skills Competition. The event will take place this Sunday in Hangzhou and be livestreamed globally by China Media Group (CMG).

The students marveled at the fine movements of the robots such as straight punches, hook punches, sidekicks, aerial spin kicks and even getting up from the ground after falling.

"It's incredible. Now I really want to know how these robots can fight with each other," said Ni Zhangyao, a student watching the robot test match at Hangzhou Qian Xuesen School.

Unitree Robotics attributed its robots’ agility to advancements in core technologies, especially algorithmic breakthroughs. Wednesday’s demonstration served as a test run for the G1 robots’ formal debut on May 25, featuring motion-capture punches, knockdowns, and recoveries.

"The robots fight in a human-machine collaborative way. We have three ways of controlling them. The most common way is that the controller uses a simple controller to control the robot's movements. We will reveal two other newly-developed control modes on the match [on Sunday]. You will see how they go by that time," said Chu Yang, a marketing team member of the Unitree Robotics.

The Unitree humanoid robots also tested their endurance at the school by complete a 40-minute jogging on the basketball court, which drew enthusiastic cheers from students.

Humanoid robots showcase combat skills ahead of world’s first robot boxing match in Hangzhou

China has unwaveringly adhered to the policy of long-term friendship with Cuba, and firmly supports Cuba in its just struggle against sanctions, blockade and foreign interference, China's top political advisor Wang Huning said when meeting with Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla in Beijing Wednesday.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, added that China is convinced that the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) will lead the Cuban people to new achievements along the path of building socialism.

Wang said relations between the two parties and two countries have reached new heights and taken on a new look under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, and steady progress has been made in building a China-Cuba community with a shared future.

Rodriguez, also the special envoy of the PCC and the Cuban Government, member of the Political Bureau of the PCC Central Committee, said that Cuba places Cuba-China relations high on its diplomatic agenda.

He thanked China for supporting Cuba as it copes with an extremely complex situation and external unilateral coercive measures.

Noting that the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries serves as a vital guide for advancing bilateral relations, Rodriguez said Cuba stands ready to work with China to jointly build a Cuba-China community with a shared future.

China's long-term friendship policy with Cuba remains unwavering: top political advisor