What does the future feel like? For eight international guests touring Wuxi in Jiangsu province on July 9, it felt like a stringless guitar, a pair of smart glasses that translate languages in real time, and a chess‑playing robot that refuses to lose — three times in a row.
The delegation, comprising influencers, teachers, and students from six countries, spent the day at the Z·Pilot × AgiBot Player Base and Yadea Technology Group. They got hands‑on experience with AI‑powered eyewear, exoskeletons, chess‑playing robots, humanoid robots, and electric two‑wheelers. The verdict? China's manufacturing prowess is not just impressive — it's startlingly tangible.
From theory to everyday reality
Shahenda Abdelazem, an Egyptian student at Jiangnan University, was drawn to a pair of smart glasses that double as a real‑time translator, camera, and voice‑activated payment device. "Chinese people are literally living in the future," she said. "I'd tell everyone: come to China and see it with your own eyes."
For Ethan Dzimano, a Zimbabwean master's student at the same university, the chess‑playing robot was the highlight — mainly because it beat him every single time. "I've visited several AI exhibitions in China, and what strikes me most is that these technologies are no longer lab concepts," he said. "You can actually use them and benefit from them today." He singled out the exoskeleton and smart glasses as prime examples of innovations that have already moved beyond the prototype phase.
Guests practice tai chi following a robot at the Z·Pilot × AgiBot Player Base. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Humanoid helpers and a reality check
At the base, humanoid robots did more than wave and strike poses. They guided visitors through a simple tai chi routine, discussed the ongoing FIFA World Cup and possible champions, and even inspired three international guests to join in an impromptu outdoor session.
Gabrielle Chen, from the United States, participated in the session and offered a balanced view: "AI brings huge convenience, but watching the robot move, you can see how far we are from truly fluid, human‑like intelligence. The journey still has a long way to go."
Her observation echoes a broader industry reality — while China shipped about 14,400 humanoid units in 2025, most are still limited to repetitive tasks in controlled industrial settings, while the kind of general intelligence that would allow them to think and adapt on their own remains a distant prospect.
Joel Pope rides an e-bike at Yadea Technology Group. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Two‑wheeled freedom and a British convert
The tour then moved to Yadea Technology Group, a Wuxi‑based electric‑two‑wheeler giant with 10 production and R&D bases worldwide, exports to more than 100 countries, and a retail network of over 40,000 stores. Visitors were invited to customize helmets with stickers, paint, and inspirational slogans before test‑riding their favorite models.
Joel Pope from the United Kingdom proved the most eager rider. He hopped on an e‑bike and didn't stop for a full minute. "It's my first time riding one – it took a couple of minutes to get used to it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it," he said. "I'd recommend anyone to get an e‑bike. I'm keen to get one myself."
Shahenda Abdelazem tries on a pair of AI-powered glasses at the Z·Pilot × AgiBot Player Base. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
A city that builds tomorrow, today
Wuxi, once known for its textiles and traditional manufacturing, is reinventing itself as a hub for intelligent production. Under the city's three‑year action plan (2025–27) for smarter, more digital, and better-connected manufacturing, it aims to have 60 percent of its industrial enterprises above designated size equipped with basic‑level smart factories by 2027.
As the eight guests boarded their coach at dusk, the consensus was clear: the devices were fun, the robots were startling, but what lingered was the sense that these are not far‑off fantasies. They are products rolling off assembly lines — reshaping how people work, commute, and even unwind. China's manufacturing story, as seen through Wuxi's lens, is no longer about catching up. It is about setting a pace — and the rest of the world is just beginning to keep up.
