A fully robotic restaurant where AI-powered robots prepare and serve a full range of dishes, drinks, and desserts started its trial operations in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang after the province's first robot restaurant began trial operations.
Inside the restaurant, a cooking robot can be seen preparing popular Chinese dish Three-Cup Chicken. Following pre-set programs, the cooking robot would add ingredients and seasonings to the cooking pot in sequence, while its robotic arms would stir, toss and adjust flavor automatically. Within minutes, a freshly cooked dish is completed.
"The food tastes good and suits my preferences. It would be even better if it were a bit more tender," said a customer.
Another customer said the restaurant just brings his childhood imagination to life.
"When I was young, I saw robots cooking in cartoons. Now it feels like a childhood dream has come true," said the customer.
According to staff from the restaurant, the cooking robot has a built-in menu of more than 100 dishes, mainly featuring the Hangzhou cuisine known for its light, fresh and delicate flavors. The restaurant's development team has also designed 24 seasonal specialty dishes inspired by China's traditional 24 solar terms, blending modern technology with traditional dietary concepts.
The 24 solar terms, consisting of 12 major solar terms and 12 minor solar terms, were created thousands of years ago by the ancient Chinese to guide agricultural production. Today, the culture behind the terms provides useful guidance to people's lives as each term features special food, cultural ceremonies and healthy living tips.
Moreover, the noodle-cooking robot in the restaurant can prepare three different types of noodles simultaneously, with each order taking about three minutes to complete.
More than 10 robots are currently in operation at the restaurant, including cooking, noodle-making, coffee-making and floor-cleaning robots, covering multiple stages such as food preparation, serving and cleaning.
AI robot restaurant begins trial operations in east China's Hangzhou
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov on Thursday evening ahead of the Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States in Kyrgyzstan.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Uzbekistan, a year that builds on past achievements and opens up a new future.
Wang said that strategic mutual trust has continued to deepen and practical cooperation has expanded across all fields over the past decade, with bilateral relations achieving a historic leap from a comprehensive strategic partnership to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era.
Noting that this year marks the 35th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence, Wang expressed confidence in Uzbekistan's development under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, saying China will firmly support Uzbekistan in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions and believes Uzbekistan will continue to firmly support China on issues concerning China's core interests.
China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to fully unlock the potential for cooperation, promote the high-quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, and create more landmark projects in new industrialization, Wang said.
Noting that China initiated the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization to help developing countries strengthen AI capacity building and advance their modernization, Wang congratulated Uzbekistan on becoming a founding member of the organization.
He also said that both sides should make good use of the China-Uzbekistan law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism to combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, as well as transnational organized crime, and strengthen coordination on multilateral platforms to promote a more just and equitable global governance system.
Saidov said Uzbekistan cherishes its brotherly friendship with China, and developing relations with China remains a priority of its foreign policy.
He extended warm congratulations on the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, saying that, from its founding, the CPC has upheld the principle of serving the people wholeheartedly and has led the Chinese people to tremendous achievements. Uzbekistan is ready to learn from China's experience in governance, align its "Uzbekistan-2030" strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative, and accelerate its own development and revitalization.
Saidov said Uzbekistan firmly adheres to the one-China principle, opposes any actions that undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stands ready to strengthen exchanges at all levels with China, deepen practical cooperation in trade, investment, energy, critical minerals and the digital economy, jointly combat the "three evil forces," and tap the potential for subnational cooperation.
He said that Uzbekistan supports the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four global initiatives proposed by China. Uzbekistan is pleased to join the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization and is willing to continue strengthening communication and coordination with China on multilateral platforms, promote the development of the SCO and the China-Central Asia mechanism, and jointly uphold multilateralism.
Chinese FM meets Uzbek counterpart
