STORYLINE:

The second World Humanoid Robot Games officially kicked off in Beijing on Saturday evening, featuring more than 1,000 humanoid robots in a spectacular opening ceremony that showcased the latest technological advances.

The five-day event brings together 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries to compete in 51 competition events.

Held at the National Speed Skating Oval, the ceremony featured musical performances, a parade of participating teams and robot formations, and the symbolic lighting of the Games' flame.

The evening opened with a musical prelude titled "Melody of the Future." Thirty-six humanoid robots, each with human-like five-finger dexterous hands, played a range of instruments alongside human musicians.

Beyond the artistry, the robots also demonstrated their competitive prowess in sports. In a unique showcase, they played football, ping pong, and tennis, competing in singles and mixed doubles matches with human partners.

One of the most breathtaking moments came during the parade, when formations of humanoid machines marched in perfect synchronization. Each robot independently calculated its path and dynamically adjusted its posture to stay in unison. Some even executed high-difficulty acrobatic stunts, including the "Thomas flair" gymnastics move.

As part of the Games, energy-transfer events and relay-like events for humanoid robots were held in locations both in China and abroad. The journey began at the Milan Winter Olympics and traveled through tea-picking fields in east China's Fujian, dragon boat races in southwest China's Sichuan, and horseback archery challenges in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China.

All the collected "energy" converged at the opening ceremony in Beijing, where a robot drew a bow and ignited the "Zhixin," or intelligence chip, the competition's equivalent of the Olympic flame, symbolically lighting the Games' flame.

The games are jointly hosted by the Beijing municipal government, China Media Group, the World Robot Cooperation Organization and the Asia-Pacific Robot World Cup International Council.

Organizers said the event is designed to promote technological exchange, industrial collaboration and the development of embodied intelligence.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Beijing, China - Aug 22, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)

1. Aerial shot of cityscape

2. Venue of second World Humanoid Robot Games

3. Various of opening ceremony in progress