This Channel 4 video talking about the World Humanoid Robot Games immediately focused on every typically western, anti-China talking point I could have come up with, and a few I wouldn’t have even thought of. Robots “coming for our jobs”; robots posing a physical threat to us (including bizarely bringing up drones, and robot dogs - these are humanoid robots, not drones or dogs - both have existed for years, and aren’t particularly Chinese). They brought up the money aspect - what they’d be worth to China’s GDP if a certain predicted number of humanoid robots entered their workforce in the next decade or so. They framed it as purely a competition (beyond the games themselves) - a “race” between countries, and “a show of strength.”

They couldn’t have missed the point more. This is about creating a better world. It’s about robots being genuine help and friends to humans. Not adversaries or a force for evil in the world. It’s about humans and robots coexisting in harmony. I really like the idea, as someone who focuses a lot on the need for humans to live in harmony with nature; that we could at the same time live in harmony with robots as well. It’s a nice thought in a depressing neoliberal country where it feels like you’re not allowed to think big. Unless it involves money from the shittiest people alive; and at this point, unless you’re one of them basically (and they tend not to share). Governments refuse to tax them, and neoliberal governments tend to be extremely unambitious anyway. Even the supposedly more progressive leaders of this ilk, such as Andy Burnham just put a metaphorical arm around their citizens, but stop short of actually doing something actively to address the cause of their problems. If you’re a regular person from a western country, you basically have to just sit and watch your country slowly collapse under the weight of 50 years of neoliberal policies.

The robotics expert guest on the show wasn’t bad at least. He seemed to know his stuff. But he definitely provided examples of the ingrained British neoliberal way of thinking, that makes us see everything through a business lens. When the topic of recent robotic progress was brought up, he mentioned the significant improvements in speed and agility; but criticised the relative lack of progress in dexterity; which he points out is one of the key areas if robots are going to be genuinely helpful in future. But of course he cited factory use (more GDP) as an example of where that would be important (for employers). He could have brought up more day to day human settings, or for serving food, but didn’t. There was always a clear focus on making money. I’m not naive enough to think the Chinese haven’t considered the economic benefits to them of being global robotics leaders. But I also think the idea that growth is their primary reason for doing all of this is projection on the part of the western nations, and the media and political class in particular. Furthermore, I think the western states are missing the point in terms of the reason growth is desired. China want to grow the economy to raise everyone up. Whereas western governments want to grow their economies to further enrich the already rich capitalists they serve. As well as I guess show off to other similar nations when they reach the top of a GDP growth league table. China have a far grander objective for a better society where everyone is empowered, that the British psyche just can’t grasp. It really bothers me the way you’re sort of scoffed at and mocked if you decide to take China at their word about anything. For example that they want all countries to collaborate to push robotics innovation forward faster, for the good of all of us. Not everything is a competition. Not everyone is disingenuous. Stop projecting your lack of values onto people who genuinely do care to work together with no strings attached. Collaboration isn’t a dirty word. It’s the concept that’s going to help drag humanity back from the brink, to a sane collective mentality from which we can tackle the climate crisis and our numerous other pressing problems. Problems all of us face. China understand this, and it feels like very few other countries do.

Then there’s the fear of humanoid robots. Why are people so quick to ignore all the genuine violence and evil in the world that already exists? It’s not some funny robots running around a track and tripping over, or losing their balance when doing Tai chi that are the big threat to us. Even as they become far more physically capable in the coming years. It’s nuclear weapons, conventional bombs, jet fighters, tanks, guns; and especially automated drones that we should be worried about. All things that have existed for a long time already and don’t provoke the same response as these harmless robots that we’ve been laughing at for the last week. As an aside; if The World Humanoid Robot Games never lead to any real world societal advancement, it should be considered a benefit to humanity just to have a good laugh. I know I needed it living in Britain in 2026.

These existing deadly weapons are clearly the real threats to us all. And they go hand in hand with right and far-right ideologies and overall societal hatred and bigotry; which are generally where the violence manifests. If armies of humanoid robots ever do rise up and start maiming us in the streets, guess who’s robots those will be. They’re almost certainly not going to be Chinese. They’re going to be those designed by and that obey the western billionaires. Designed to protect them and the governments they control. To protect their wealth, and protect the neoliberal system that they hold so dear, from a slowly awakening and angry working class. That’s the idea anyway. I’m not sure I have the faith in humanity to truly believe that’s going to happen.

Regardless, people really need to start asking themselves why it is that the media in their country presents a harmless and fun robot competition, aiming to speed up technological progress, and entertain at the same time, in ways similar to how I’ve described above. Their casual, ingrained racism (or cultural bias to be more polite to the presenter and guest in that C4 video, who I would obviously not accuse of being intentionally racist); has turbocharged their aversion to anything outside of neoliberal norms as not just unusual and funny; but as an actual threat to western countries and the capitalist class of those countries (who these days they seem to exist to do PR for).

Good political parties are not averse to falling into this trap. As I’m pretty sure I’ve discussed before, at least two Green Party MPs (who thankfully didn’t win the leadership) are not particularly open minded on China from what I’ve seen; and they really need to rectify this soon, before it becomes a problem. Even Zack Polanski himself, I’ve not seen him say anything positive about China either, and I really think he should. This of course applies to all progressive and environmentalist political parties around the world; and potential voters of those parties, and any others left of centre. Stop buying into the propaganda on China. Look at the facts. Look at their quality of life. Look at their government’s stated intentions and don’t reject it just because the BBC told you there must be some sinister, ulterior motive because it’s China. Don’t believe everything you read without critical thinking. Obviously China aren’t perfect; even if they are a lot closer to perfect than we are. But be open minded, and fight back against the establishment point of view, which is steeped in prejudice and can’t be taken seriously.