Robots on bikes to 200-day cargo ships: 10 things from China this week

From the government's special initiatives to boost consumption to numerous innovation-linked developments, here are ten things that happened in China that caught readers' attention this week.

1. Special initiative to boost consumption

China unveiled a plan on special initiatives to increase consumption, part of a larger effort to make domestic demand the main driver of economic growth. The plan aims to vigorously boost consumption, stimulate domestic demand through high-quality supply and other measures, increase spending power by raising earnings and improve the consumption environment.

Days after the plan was announced, two prominent global banks also indicated that Chinese consumer sentiment was recovering. Deutsche Bank said that 54 percent of respondents it polled this quarter say they feel financially better off, while HSBC Bank upgraded China's GDP growth forecast to 4.8 percent based on expectations of stronger consumer spending.

2. Industrial output exceeds expectations in Jan-Feb 2025

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that China's industrial output, retail sales and fixed asset investment beat expectations in January and February, showing signs of resilience. Industrial output was up 5.9 percent year-on-year during Jan-Feb, while retail sales were up 4 percent. Exports rose 3.4 percent to $535.25 billion, while fixed asset investment expanded by 4.1 percent in the same period.

Also in Jan-Feb, China's railway passenger trips marked a 4.7 percent year-on-year increase, reaching 726 million during the first two months of 2025 and hitting an all-time high, China's railway operator said.

3. Global business leaders arrive for CDF 2025

Global business leaders are arriving in Beijing for the China Development Forum (CDF) 2025, set to be held in Beijing on March 23-24. The premier platform for dialogue between the Chinese government, global businesses, academia and international organizations, the CDF this year is themed 'Unleashing Development Momentum for Stable Growth of Global Economy', and comes just over a week after China's national Two Sessions.

Ahead of the CDF, business delegations have been meeting with China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. During his meeting with Merlin Swire, CEO of John Swire & Sons, the Commerce Minister highlighted China's vast consumer market potential and reaffirmed the government's commitment to high-level opening-up, improving the business environment, and expanding market access in sectors such as telecommunications, healthcare and education.

4. 8,600-car carrier ship sets construction speed record

In a remarkable achievement elevating the country's world-leading ship-building credentials to new heights, a Chinese car carrier cargo ship was delivered having taken just a record 200 days for its hull assembly and adjustment, as per the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). Measuring 200m by 38m, it is a duel-fuel carrier powered by fuel oil and LNG with 14 vehicle decks that can allow the transport of 8,600 passenger cars, trucks or buses.

5. First 1-tonne payload cargo drone completes maiden flight

Also in the high-tech cargo space, China's first large cargo drone capable of carrying payloads of up to one tonne completed its maiden flight in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province. The unmanned TP1000 has a maximum range of 1000km with a full 1000kg load and is expected to enter operational service in 2026.

6. BYD unveils fast-charging battery with 2km/s charging speed

In the New Energy Vehicles (NEV) sector, Chinese auto-maker BYD unveiled a new fast-charging battery capable reaching a top charging speed of 2km/s, enabling it to provide a 407km driving range on just a five-minute charge. Deployment of this charger and related infrastructure will enable BYD to offer 'oil-electric parity', meaning it will be possible to charge NEVs at comparable times to conventional internal-combustion engine cars. BYD also said it would build over 4,000 fast-charging stations across China.

7. New AgiBot humanoid robot rides bike, performs delicate tasks

Coming to the field of robots, the 1.3m AgiBot Lingxi X2 humanoid robot unveiled in Shanghai has gone viral for being able to perform movements requiring dexterity and grace, such as riding bicycles and self-balancing scooters or sewing using needles and thread. Videos show it picking items off a shelf and removing plugs from their sockets.

8. CUMT unveils space mining robot for asteroids and the moon

Robots for space are also on the anvil. Experts at the China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) have introduced a multifunctional space mining robots. The six-legged robot has three wheels and three claw-legs meant to enable it to operate in a microgravity environment. The claws essentially allow the robot to cling and grip surfaces and objects to anchor itself while drilling and collecting samples.

9. China-led team achieves quantum-secured communication across 12,900 km

A global research team led by Chinese scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China has achieved quantum-secured communication over 12,900 km between China and South Africa using the Jinan-1 micro-nano satellite and compact ground stations. Pulses forming a quantum key were sent from a rooftop in Beijing to another in Cape Town enabling real-time quantum key distribution.

10. Top universities to expand undergraduate enrollment to focus on AI

With AI increasingly being touted as the biggest disruptor since the Internet, several of China's top universities have declared plans to expand undergraduate enrollment this year to focus on national strategic priorities and cutting-edge technologies. Tsinghua, Peking, Renmin and other universities will expand their undergraduate intakes in areas such as AI, renewable energy and integrated circuits.