A futuristic robot traffic officer has been deployed on duty in the eastern Chinese tech hub of Hangzhou City, directing pedestrians and vehicles using artificial intelligence-powered operations.
The AI traffic management robot "Hangxing No.1," developed under the leadership of Hangzhou Traffic Police Tactical Unit (TPTU), made its debut on the streets of the capital city of Zhejiang Province, on Tuesday, marking the start of its trial run.
The robot is equipped with high-definition cameras and sensors, capable of capturing common traffic violations in real time and reminding pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles passing by to abide by traffic rules through an intelligent voice system.
"I just crossed the line less than half a meter when it alerted me. It responded promptly," said a pedestrian.
"When you see it, you will subconsciously stop at the waiting line like this. I think it's quite useful. It can save some police force costs. I believe it will be a trend in the future," a motorcyclist said.
Beyond identifying traffic violations, the Hangxing No. 1 can also synchronize with the signal lights to assist human officers in traffic guidance and order maintenance. Its flexible mobility enables rapid deployment across different intersections, enhancing traffic management efficiency.
"It now operates in two modes -- directing in the middle of the road and guiding at intersections," said Zhang Wanzhe, a police officer.
Currently, the AI traffic management robot is in the pilot phase. In the future, it is expected to be equipped with a large language model to provide convenient services such as voice interaction and command control.
Robot traffic officer goes on duty in China's Zhejiang
Computing power services are gaining momentum as artificial intelligence (AI) technology evolves, opening new avenues for the development of trade in services and becoming a highlight of the ongoing 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing.
The five-day CIFTIS opened on Wednesday, drawing participants from 90 countries, regions and international organizations, with over 1,800 companies showcasing their service products on-site.
Exhibitors at the 2026 Thematic Exhibition: Telecommunications, Computers and Information Services are shifting their focus from traditional communication offerings to integrated services combining computing power and AI.
"Currently, we operate over 2 million base stations, and each base station has a supporting communication machine room. We have integrated computing facilities into these machine rooms, upgrading them into data centers that can provide localized, distributed computing services. This enables real-time computing support for applications such as AI-powered forest fire prevention, disaster mitigation, and water quality monitoring in local areas," said Qiao Zhi, a staff member of China Tower Beijing Branch.
Beyond these application services, China's industry chain leaders are showcasing a broad array of innovative solutions at the upstream segment, including chip design, testing, verification, and technical licensing. Chinese service providers are offering tailored solutions for a diverse range of regions and markets.
"For example, European and American clients tend to prefer large-model, high-performance chips, while clients from the Middle East and Southeast Asia focus more on edge-side AI chips, mainly to assist their smart city projects and robotics initiatives. Chinese enterprises can meet the customized demands of different regions, different customers and different scenarios," said Wang Wenqian, head of research and development of the Joinsilicon, which provides customized products and solutions for the semiconductor industry.
Services that can be digitally delivered, including those related to computing power, are becoming an important engine driving the growth of services trade. According to China's Trade in Services Development Index Report 2026 released at the CIFTIS, the share of digitally deliverable services in global services exports rose to 57.9 percent in 2025.
Computing power services emerge as new growth driver for trade in services
