China's Humanoid Robot Race: 140 Companies and Counting

China's humanoid robotics industry is in full sprint. Roughly 140 companies across the country are now working to build autonomous humanoid robots, powered by enormous state-backed investment pouring into the sector.

The Guardian's Chang Che visited 11 of these companies across five Chinese cities to assess how close the industry actually is to delivering on the sci-fi promise of walking, talking, autonomous machines.

The sheer scale of China's push is hard to ignore. State funding is acting as rocket fuel, turning what was once a niche corner of robotics into a crowded, competitive landscape almost overnight. With 140 players jockeying for position, consolidation feels inevitable — but for now, the race is wide open.

The big question remains: can any of these companies actually crack the humanoid problem, or is this another hype cycle flush with government cash?