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🟠 How China's robots are conquering the world

🟠 How China's robots are conquering the world

+ AI stocks explode in Hong Kong

February 17, 2026

☕️ Good morning friends,

As promised yesterday, today we're talking about robots. Why? Because they will change the world we live in.

All the experts we've spoken with in recent months agree on this.

And at Asiabits, you'll naturally get all the info first.

Also in today's issue:

MiniMax explodes: +25% in one day, +400% since IPO in January
Japan opens market: US cars importable without extra tests
Americans scrolling again: After TikTok sale China→US, user numbers stabilize

👉🏻 We're organizing two Robotics Tours this year: one in May, one in September.
Secure your spot on the waitlist now – all details coming to your inbox next week 👇🏻

Secure your spot on the waitlist?

Hedge funds go on Asia shopping spree: According to Goldman Sachs, hedge funds bought more Asian equities last week than at any time since the bank began tracking the data in 2016. Both emerging and developed markets in the region benefited from the AI infrastructure euphoria.

TOP BIT

79% TV Rating: China Turns Prime Time into Industrial Policy

China's most-watched television show, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, became a global stage for Beijing's technological ambitions on Monday.

In a blend of tradition and science fiction, four leading robotics startups – Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix, and MagicLab – demonstrated the rapid progress of Chinese "Embodied AI."

📈 Market Dominance and Industrial Policy

Behind the spectacle lies a hard-nosed industrial strategy: Beijing is betting on robotics to boost productivity despite an aging workforce.

Global leadership: China was responsible for 90% of the approximately 13,000 humanoid robots delivered worldwide last year.
Growth forecast: Morgan Stanley expects sales of Chinese humanoid robots to more than double to 28,000 units this year.
Political tailwind: President Xi Jinping met with five robotics startup founders last year – visibility typically reserved only for sectors like semiconductors or e-mobility.

🔬 The Players and Their Roles

The gala served as a "direct pipeline" from industrial policy to the spotlight, often securing government contracts and investor interest for the companies.

Company	Performance	Status / Details
Unitree Robotics	"WuBOT" Martial Arts & Acrobatics	Plans IPO 2026; G1 model costs approx. $17,990
Noetix	Comedy skit with actors	Focus on interaction in social scenarios
MagicLab	Synchronized dance	Song: "We Are Made in China"
Galbot	Integration into sketches	Specialized in everyday and service applications

⚠️ Reality Check: Hype vs. Hardware

Despite the impressive show, technical hurdles remain:

"Brains" vs. bodies: While hardware (motors, joints, balance) is making enormous progress, AI intelligence ("cortex") still lags behind.
Data shortage: The industry faces a "data scarcity" for real work scenarios, as simulations alone are not sufficient.
Stage vs. reality: The controlled environment of the gala (flat floor, constant light) is a "comfort zone" scenario that is not yet replicable one-to-one in factories or households.

Elon Musk, who sees his biggest competition in Chinese companies, recently described China's progress as "ass-kicker next level."

🍿 Full performance & behind the scenes: Unitree YouTube

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NUMBER OF THE WEEK

This is how many humanoid robots China delivered in 2025.

In October 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) set a clear target: “Mass production of humanoid robots by 2025.”

Two years later: mission accomplished.

Three companies dominate:

AgiBot (5,168 units)
Unitree (4,200 units)
UBTECH (1,000 units)

🐎 China has now surpassed the United States in 2025 as the world’s largest producer of humanoid robots. The number of manufacturers nearly doubled within a single year, from 79 to more than 150. MIIT now counts over 330 different humanoid robot models.

Watch: Productivity is still only at 30–40% of a human worker, and battery life lasts just 2–3 hours. But the playbook is familiar: In 2009, Chinese EVs were considered a joke. Today, BYD sells more cars than Tesla. Same government strategy, different industry.

MARKET BIT

China’s AI stocks explode: MiniMax +25% in one day, +400% since IPO

China’s AI firms take huge post listing gains

MiniMax surged as much as 30% in Hong Kong before closing up 25%. Since its IPO in January 2026, the stock is now up more than 400%.

Rival Zhipu also posted double-digit intraday gains. Both names are currently among the hottest AI bets in Asia..

The driver

Optimism around China’s generative AI startups is rising, fueled by model upgrades ahead of Lunar New Year, a period when platforms traditionally compete for maximum user traffic.

MiniMax last week released version M2.5 of its flagship model.

On the SWE benchmark, M2.5 performs “very close” to Claude Opus 4.6, with analysts pointing to “significant performance improvements.”

Why so hot?

First: China is investable again.

After years of regulatory uncertainty and weak tech performance, investors are searching for a new growth anchor. Chinese AI offers exactly that: structural growth, strategic relevance and state backing.

Second: valuation arbitrage.

U.S. AI stocks trade at extreme multiples. In Hong Kong, newly listed AI players are entering the market at far lower starting valuations.

Third: technological catch-up.

MiniMax’s M2.5 and Zhipu’s GLM models are being publicly benchmarked against U.S. frontier models. “Close enough” is sufficient to support the thesis that China is not permanently behind in the LLM race.

Fourth: geopolitical logic.

Semiconductors, AI and compute capacity are strategic sectors. Investors understand that these areas are politically prioritized in China, reducing the risk of sudden domestic policy headwinds.

👉 Full story: Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance

HIGHLIGHTS

🚗 Japan eases import of US cars: Japan's transport ministry is eliminating additional safety tests for vehicles manufactured in the US. Tokyo is thus paving the way for "re-imports" of models like Toyota's Tundra to Japan and responding directly to US criticism of trade barriers. Japanese automakers will be able to sell their American success models much more easily in their home market in the future.

📱 TikTok's US user numbers defy ownership change: Contrary to fears of a mass exodus, user numbers remain stable at 95% after the sale to the American owner. Despite brief glitches and censorship rumors, daily usage time quickly returned to 80 minutes. Since competitor apps failed to generate lasting interest, the experience for most Americans remains virtually unchanged even under new leadership.

✈️ Singapore introduces first levy for sustainable aviation fuel: Starting in October, the city-state will charge a fee between $0.75 and $32 per ticket to finance the use of green kerosene. While the US is throttling climate funding under Trump, Southeast Asia is positioning itself as a global SAF hub. The levy is intended to advance production expansion to reach the net-zero target by 2050 despite rising passenger numbers.

🚢 South Korea's shipyards benefit from US tariffs on Chinese ships: While global orders are declining, South Korea is recording an increase of 8%. The reason is imminent US sanctions against Chinese shipyards, which are driving shipping companies to competitors. Industry giants are reporting record profits and combating labor shortages with AI and foreign skilled workers. Japan remains on the sidelines due to lack of capacity.