China's robotic athletes demonstrate technological progress in Milan

Chinese humanoid robots charmed onlookers on the streets of Milan on Friday, demonstrating impressive football skills and interacting with Olympic fans as part of a showcase by China Media Group's coverage studio for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, which opened on Friday at 20:00 local time.

This robotic "Champion Delegation" arrives in north Italy fresh from victory at Beijing's 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games, their first edition, where they triumphed in obstacle courses, football matches, and practical task challenges. Their appearance alongside the Winter Olympics signals China's push to position robotics as the next frontier of competitive spectacle.

"I think it's a very good combination of humans and robots. And for the Olympics it will be important to have everything together. And we are really happy because I think now technology in China is really advanced, and robot technology is great now in China," said Maria Rosa Azzolin, president of the Italy-China Institute.

The robot delegation is not only supporting the CMG's Winter Olympics coverage on site, but also visiting landmarks, universities, and research institutes across Milan to promote exchanges and cooperation.

"These aren't just machines anymore, they're more like us humans. China is truly leading the pack in this field," said Caesar, a resident in Milan.

The first World Humanoid Robot Games were held in Beijing last August, marking a historic milestone in the advancement of robotics and artificial intelligence.

The event drew 280 teams from 16 countries, including the United States, Germany and Italy, to compete in 26 events, which included the world's first humanoid robot 100-meter sprint and a fully autonomous 5v5 robot football match.

The second session of the games will be held in Beijing this August.

"The second World Humanoid Robot Games will be open to more cooperation in scenarios and standards, and drive research and development and production through competition, propelling humanoid robots from the arena into real-world production and daily life," said Liu Weiliang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology.

China's robotic athletes demonstrate technological progress in Milan

China's robotic athletes demonstrate technological progress in Milan

African officials on Wednesday pledged to scale up investment to accelerate development across the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a meeting in Accra, Ghana's capital.

They made the commitment during the 24th Annual General Meeting of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), where leaders highlighted the need to expand the bank's capital base to finance transformative projects.

Ghanaian Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson stressed that timely capital payments would strengthen EBID's leverage and sustain its growth, enabling the institution to stimulate inclusive economic expansion across the region.

"Timely capital payments are critical. It strengthens EBID leverage and sustains its growth and impact across our region. Expanding our capital base is essential to strengthen our ability to finance transformative development projects and stimulate inclusive economic growth among our member states," said Forson.

EBID recorded strong achievements in 2025, with total disbursements of about 722 million U.S. dollars, up 47.7 percent from 2024. Building on that momentum, President George Agyekum Donkor said the bank remains committed to helping member states tackle poverty and close infrastructure gaps across the region.

"We aim to direct at least 63 percent of new commitments towards the private enterprises to catalyze job creation and innovation. Simultaneously, the bank would embed environmental, social and governance principles across its operations, dedicating over 41 percent of resources to climate mitigation and social inclusion projects," said Donkor.

With disbursements surging nearly 48 percent last year, EBID officials said the bank is positioned to channel more resources into private-sector growth and climate-focused projects, reinforcing its role as a driver of inclusive development across West Africa.

African officials vow stronger investment push at ECOWAS bank meeting in Accra