BEIJING, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Ant Group, the

Alibaba-linked fintech giant, is venturing into the humanoid

robot industry, joining a growing list of major Chinese tech

companies exploring this emerging field.

The company has opened positions related to humanoid robot

systems and applications through its subsidiary, Shanghai Ant

Lingbo Technology, which was established at the end of 2024 with

registered capital of 100 million yuan ($13.73 million),

according to a local media report confirmed by an Ant

spokesperson.

Humanoid robots, which are designed to resemble humans in

shape and movement, have become a hot investment area in China,

attracting interest from both large corporations and startups

across various sectors, including technology, electric vehicles,

and manufacturing.

The Chinese government has identified humanoid robots as one

of the "new productive forces" that Beijing seeks to drive the

country's economic growth and compete with the United States for

technological leadership.

Some prominent Chinese humanoid robot companies have gained

recognition, including UBTech and Unitree. Unitree has captured

attention for its products' impressive capabilities, such as

walking, climbing, and carrying loads.

Unitree's founder was given a front row seat in a meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping held with private sector bosses on

Monday, shoring up interest in the sector further.

Some companies, such as Meituan ( MPNGF ) and Xiaomi ( XIACF )

, are directly involved in the research and development

of robots. Xiaomi's ( XIACF ) efforts date back to at least 2022 when it

launched its first full-size humanoid bionic robot, CyberOne.

Other companies are entering the space through investments

and partnerships. Tencent, for example, has been involved in the

industry since at least 2018, when it invested 50 million yuan

in Leju Robot, a Shenzhen-based startup.

($1 = 7.2848 Chinese yuan renminbi)