In Luanda, Angola, dancing robots amused guests and ambassador Zhang Bin called the industry “a small snapshot of the Chinese economy’s move towards innovation and higher-quality development”.
In Brazzaville, Congo, nearly 400 guests – including Congolese officials and Chinese business representatives – watched on as a robot dog performed.
Guests also interacted with a robot dog at a Chinese New Year reception in Johannesburg, South Africa in February.
Such displays at diplomatic and commercial events across Africa are symbolic of China’s push to become a technology partner in the region, according to analysts.
Bulelani Jili, an assistant professor at Georgetown University in Washington, said that – beyond the spectacle – the robot displays aimed to present China as a provider of advanced technology rather than just a source of extractive investment or low-cost goods.
