Merz Visit Highlights Opportunities in China’s Robotics Sector

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s recent visit to Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou, China, underscores the growing importance of collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of robotics. The visit, occurring on February 26, 2026, showcased China’s advancements in humanoid robotics and presented potential avenues for Sino-German cooperation.

Kung Fu on the Global Stage

Unitree’s robots gained prominence with a performance of kung fu moves during the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, a globally televised event reaching hundreds of millions of viewers . This marked the company’s third appearance on the gala, reportedly costing hundreds of millions of renminbi for broadcast slots, signaling China’s ambition to be recognized as a leading high-tech nation .

Hangzhou: A Hub for Tech Innovation

Merz’s visit to Hangzhou, a city known as one of China’s “Six Little Dragons” – leading tech start-up hubs – was deliberate . Approximately 1,000 companies with German capital participation are already operating in Zhejiang province, including major players like Bosch, Bayer, Siemens Energy and ZF . The visit also included stops at Siemens Energy and a Mercedes presentation on autonomous driving.

Unitree’s Robotics Innovations

During his tour, Merz observed Unitree’s robots, including the quadruped robot Unitree As2 and humanoid robots G1 and H2 . Demonstrations included robots performing boxing, dancing, and martial arts routines. Unitree’s “Iron Fist King” series features G1 robots competing in organized battles, controlled via VR or voice commands .

Price and Production

A key differentiator for Unitree is its pricing. The G1 humanoid robot starts at around $16,000, significantly lower than Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot, which costs over $200,000 . Unitree sold approximately 5,000 humanoid robots in 2024, achieving over €100 million in sales, with two-thirds being quadruped robots and one-third being humanoid models . Investors include Alibaba, Tencent, and Geely, and an IPO is reportedly in preparation .

China’s Robotics Ecosystem

Unitree’s competitive pricing is attributed to China’s robust industrial infrastructure, including affordable supply chains, government funding, and the rapid transfer of technology from sectors like smartphones and electric vehicles to robotics . There are now an estimated 150 to 200 manufacturers of humanoid robots in China, with cities like Beijing and Shenzhen collectively investing over $26 billion in related funds . In 2025, China accounted for 80-90% of worldwide humanoid robot sales, with 13,000 to 16,000 units sold globally .

Looking Ahead

Merz’s visit reflects Germany’s desire to strengthen economic ties with China, which remained Germany’s top trading partner in 2025 with a trade volume exceeding €250 billion . However, the visit also highlights China’s lead in robotics, with investments in young robotics companies exceeding those in Europe by a factor of five to six in 2025 . Unitree is now focusing on bringing its robots into everyday life, with the R1 model aimed at developers and educational institutions, starting at $4,900 . The company’s founder, Wang Xingxing, expressed optimism about deeper collaboration with German enterprises to accelerate the global development of intelligent robotics .