Chinese humanoid robotics producer UBTech Robotics has signed a cooperation agreement with Airbus, which includes the purchase of the Chinese company's latest industrial humanoid robot, Walker S2, for use in Airbus manufacturing facilities. The move underscores the latest development of China's unicorn enterprises as they expand international cooperation and application scenarios with global partners, a Chinese expert said, noting that China's unicorns are experiencing rapid growth thanks to policy support, an improved business environment, increased technology investment, and other factors. According to the company, this cooperation with Airbus means that since signing its strategic partnership with Texas Instruments last year, UBTech Robotics has gradually expanded the application of its humanoid robots from industrial scenarios in China to five major global scenarios: aviation manufacturing, vehicle manufacturing, 3C electronics manufacturing, smart logistics, and semiconductor manufacturing. The two sides will jointly expand the deployment of humanoid robots in aviation manufacturing scenarios.
In 2025, UBTech Robotics' humanoid robot orders totaled more than CNY1.4 billion, ranking first globally. In 2026, the production capacity of its industrial humanoid robots is expected to reach tens of thousands of units, according to the company. Beyond the Chinese market, the firm has also begun to gradually expand the deployment of its humanoid robots into overseas manufacturing markets, including Europe and the U.S., said the company. UBTech Robotics is not alone in expanding international cooperation. Chinese unicorn Xpeng, an electric vehicle producer, is also advancing its international expansion with firm and rapid momentum. In 2025, its overseas deliveries surged 96% year-on-year, while deliveries of localized models developed in cooperation with European partners soared 268%. This comes amid the rapid rise of Chinese robotics and other high-tech unicorns, the Global Times reports.
