A more modern reality is changing global perceptions

For Victoria, a visitor from Denmark, her trip to China this summer proved eye-opening: scenes she had seen on TikTok suddenly became vividly real and tangible.

Inside a shopping mall in Shanghai, Victoria joined crowds gathered around a makeshift boxing ring outside Unitree Robotics' newly opened experience store, the first outlet of its kind in Asia. Two humanoid robots in pink and red helmets sparred before onlookers, and she pulled out her phone to capture the moment.

"I watched clips of these robots dancing online, but it's really cool to see them in person," Victoria says. She describes China's rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics as something "revolutionary, new and exciting".

She also recalls watching a humanoid robot brew a cup of tea. For her, such novel encounters are far more than entertaining novelties — they are vivid evidence that China's tech breakthroughs are moving beyond labs and factory floors and into everyday life.

The rapid growth of China's robotics and embodied AI industry was on full display at the 2026 World Robot Conference, which recently concluded in Beijing. The event drew over 300 exhibitors from 26 countries and regions, who showcased more than 3,000 cutting-edge tech products and offered the world an up-close look at China's fast-evolving robotics sector.

Xu Xiaolan, president of the Chinese Institute of Electronics, said at the conference that China's embodied AI industry has entered a critical phase of large-scale commercial application, with products moving from small-scale trials to widespread market deployment.

China has developed more than 400 complete humanoid robot products, accounting for more than half of the global total, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released in July. A WRC report also revealed that China shipped more than 40,000 humanoid robots in the first half of 2026, accounting for 97 percent of global shipments.

As China's tech sector, particularly the robotics industry, flourishes, global perceptions of the country's technological capabilities are undergoing a profound shift. In 2008, Rebecca Fannin, author of Silicon Dragon, predicted the rise of China's tech sector in her book, a forecast that was widely dismissed at the time.

Today, the tide has turned. Fannin said global audiences increasingly recognize China as a leading innovative nation, as Chinese-made products ranging from humanoid robots and electric vehicles to intelligent robotic lawnmowers and smart laundry appliances gain growing traction in the United States and elsewhere.

"We're looking to China as a leader of the futuristic vision — that's a big change from the past," she shared in a program hosted by the National Committee on US-China Relations, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing bilateral understanding.

Yuan Shaoyu, visiting assistant professor at New York University, also shared his thoughts about China's tech rise during the program.

"Many people now see Chinese companies producing products and platforms that genuinely feel more innovative, more polished, and also affordable compared to the Western ones," he says, pointing to the sheer range of China's technological innovation.

Technology, however, is far from the only draw. Increasingly, Chinese culture and everyday lifestyles are also winning over young audiences in the West.

From Los Angeles to London, Generation Z is embracing authentic Chinese lifestyle trends online, fueled by viral hashtags such as #BecomingChinese and #Chinamaxxing.

A growing number of young Westerners now follow Chinese-inspired wellness routines: wearing cotton slippers at home, starting their mornings with warm congee, and cutting back on icy beverages in pursuit of healthier lifestyles.

Yet, this fascination stretches far beyond wellness habits. Young audiences are also drawn to China's streamlined, people-centered approach to modern life, from high-speed rail, friction-free online shopping and food delivery to popular Chinese TV dramas and original role-playing games.

Eric Hovagim, an American You-Tuber, once thought China would be the last place he would visit, let alone settle down, because of how the country was portrayed in US media. Many of his peers felt the same.

Nevertheless, he encountered China and was shocked by what he found — bustling metropolises comparable with New York, but safer and more convenient, alongside tranquil small-town life, even in remote areas.

"We saw that and realized China is not a place we thought it was," Hovagim says.

In Hovagim's eyes, international content creators and Chinese social media influencers play a critical role in bridging cultural divides and showing the real China to the world. By capturing everyday, unscripted moments of modern China, their videos offer a more rounded portrait of the country — one that resonates with audiences across global social media platforms.

China's recent visa-free policies have also enabled more Western visitors to experience China firsthand. Official figures recorded 22.9 million inbound foreign arrivals in China during the first half of 2026, a 20.4-percent year-on-year increase.

This surge of visitors reflects a broader shift in global attitudes toward China. A July Pew Research Center survey of 42,151 adults worldwide found that respondents in 25 of the 36 countries polled hold favorable views of China.

Separately, the 2026 Global Soft Power Index, compiled by London-based consultancy Brand Finance, ranked China second globally, with a score only 1.4 points lower than that of the United States. The result highlights China's growing cultural influence and international appeal.

Captivated by the country's relaxing, fulfilling lifestyle, Hovagim hopes his parents will one day retire in Shanghai. He pictures them savoring its slow-paced joys: dancing alongside local seniors and stopping to sip warm goji berry tea from a thermos flask.