Screenshot from YouTube of the gala broadcast by national television channel CCTV for Lunar New Year's Eve in China, February 16, 2026. CCTV VIDEO NEWS AGENCY/YOUTUBE
On Lunar New Year's Eve, most Chinese families follow the same ritual. All generations gather for a festive dinner, then turn on the television to watch and comment on the gala evening broadcast by the national television station, CCTV, making it the most-watched national broadcast on the planet. The show is as much a testament to the priorities of the Chinese government as it is entertainment, and it aims to be more ambitious each year. Once again, on Monday, February 16, China's technological breakthroughs were the central theme.
Back in 2025, footage of 16 robots in red jackets spinning fabric in a traditional dance went viral on the internet. The 2026 edition aimed to demonstrate just how much the robotics sector had advanced in a single year. Viewers watched as a troupe of humanoid robots performed all the intricate movements of kung-fu with utmost precision: somersaults, cartwheels, spinning kicks, springboard leaps, obstacle courses and even nunchaku skills rivaling Bruce Lee. The robots could regain their balance and get back up with agility. The evening sought to showcase China's superiority in robotics, at a time when American billionaire Elon Musk described the country as "the biggest competitor" in the field.
