Young innovators from China gathered in Shanghai this week to showcase their robotic skills at the 2025 World Robot Contest Qualifier.
This qualifier, held as part of the Mobile World Congress Shanghai for the first time, aims to identify outstanding students for the next round of competition.
The theme for this year's competition is "Galaxy Boundless".
During the competition, student participants are tasked with controlling a robot car to move the stars to specific locations, with varying scores assigned to each star. Those who achieve the highest score in 60 seconds win.
"Students need to wing it on the site. They have to analyze and solve problems in a timely manner. For example, he needs to think about what strategies can get higher scores," said Shi Lixian, the organizer of the qualifier.
For many students who have never tried this before, mastering the remote control of the small car proves to be quite challenging.
"At first, I was a bit nervous. And then, I was helped by my classmates and I tried to move the stars instead of the yellow piles, which costs much less time," said Shi Ruohan, a contestant.
"Some kids may talk fast and give good coaching advice while the rest of the team is playing, but they may not be able to finish with a high score when they are on their own. That's why we give kids two chances, and it's a test of their ability to adapt," said Shi Lixian.
Winners of the qualifier will advance to provincial-level competitions and tournaments before reaching the finals.
The 2025 Mobile World Congress, which wrapped up on Friday, attracted 109,000 attendees from 205 countries and regions, alongside more than 2,900 exhibitors, sponsors, and partners, according to the GSMA, the global industry organization behind the annual gathering.
China's young innovators showcase robotic skills at World Robot Contest Qualifier
