At this year's event, Shenzhen-based HONOR robots took the top three places, with one setting a half-marathon mark seven minutes faster than the human record.
Clips of robots toppling, dancing, running awkwardly and knocking over a security guard spread widely on Chinese social media, while a ByteDance Doubao-inspired mini robot became a meme favourite.
The spectacle also highlighted China's advancing robotics sector, echoing recent practical showcases such as a locally developed exoskeleton helping a disabled European woman walk at the Canton Fair.
China's robots now outrun humans, but can they win the tech race while relying on foreign core components?
As factories produce a robot every 30 minutes, what is the plan for the millions of workers they are built to replace?