Robot competition wows Hong Kong crowd

In a contest where martial arts philosophy met cutting-edge robotics, the University of Hong Kong emerged as the champion at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Robot Contest 2026, themed “Kung Fu Quest.”

HKU came out on top among 16 university squads from 15 countries and regions, while the Chinese University – also representing the city – finished as runner-up.

Jointly organized by Radio Television Hong Kong and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, the event drew participants from across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, including teams from the Chinese mainland, Japan, India, Egypt and Cambodia.

The rules required each team’s two robots to complete three stages. First, they had to cooperate in “forging Chinese weapons,” a task that tested coordination and precision as the robots assembled components under strict time limits. The second stage, “collecting kung fu scrolls,” challenged robots to navigate the outer edges of the arena and maneuver through grids to retrieve scrolls placed at difficult angles. The final stage required robots to place the scrolls onto a tiered frame and race to align three of them in a straight line, demanding both speed and tactical execution.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po – who officiated at the opening ceremony alongside RTHK Director of Broadcasting Angelina Kwan Yuen-yee, HKSTP chairwoman Cordelia Chung and ABU Secretary-General Ahmed Nadeem – said artificial intelligence has advanced faster than most observers predicted.

“We are living through an extraordinary period of technological change,” Chan said. “AI’s next frontier is now moving from the screen to the physical world.”He added that the Greater Bay Area, with its 87 million people, offers a seamless ecosystem for robotics companies, where components can often be sourced within a half-hour drive.

Chung noted that while robotics technology is evolving at unprecedented speed, the passion of young innovators remains unchanged.

Nadeem emphasized that the contest has inspired generations of students over the past 25 years, providing a platform for learning, exchange and problem-solving.

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The ceremony also included a special guest performance by Unitree Robotics, whose robots previously featured on the CMG Spring Festival Gala.

The contest attracted about 2,000 spectators, including families cheering for relatives and professionals from the tech sector, who described the competition as thrilling and praised the outstanding performances of the Hong Kong teams.

The ABU Robot Contest, the largest university-level robotics competition in the Asia-Pacific region, returned to Hong Kong for the first time since 2012.

Beyond the competition, participants will visit local landmarks, tour the Hong Kong Science Park and meet with local tech enterprises. Nearly 100 young people will also travel to Shenzhen’s Qianhai district to explore the GBA’s innovation landscape.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓