Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (center) experiences a dexterous hand product developed by AgiBot in Shanghai, on July 17, 2026. Photo: Courtesy of AgiBot
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, currently in Shanghai for the 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, visited Chinese robotics company AgiBot on Friday. Chinese observers view the visit as a further step in deepening the China-Thailand comprehensive strategic partnership, and a sign of rising interest among Southeast Asian leaders in China’s embodied AI and humanoid robotics industries.
During his visit, Charnvirakul witnessed firsthand China’s cutting-edge achievements in general-purpose robotics innovation. The two sides also held in-depth discussions on expanding cooperation in AI and embodied intelligence industries, according to a note shared with the Global Times.
Charnvirakul spoke highly of AgiBot’s innovation in embodied intelligence, saying that AI is becoming a key force reshaping regional economic structures. He noted that Thailand is accelerating its digital transformation and has a strong demand for advanced embodied AI technologies to support agricultural modernization, industrial upgrading, urban governance, and tourism services.
The prime minister also voiced hope that the visit would help establish a more regular platform for AI industry collaboration between the two countries. He expressed anticipation for the introduction of AgiBot’s technologies and solutions introduced in Thailand, with an eye toward positioning the country as an AI innovation hub within ASEAN and bolstering the region’s broader digital economy integration.
At the reception, AgiBot’s Expedition A3 humanoid robot, dressed in traditional Thai attire, greeted the Thai delegation in Thai, drawing warm acknowledgment from the prime minister.
Another robot developed by AgiBot, Lingxi X2, performed a stylized Muay Thai routine, demonstrating precise and fluid motion control that received strong praise from attendees.
During the inspection tour, the Thai Prime Minister observed latest achievements in general-purpose robotics developed by AgiBot, with a focus on the company’s integrated approach to “AI large models + deployment-ready embodiment,” according to the AgiBot’s note.
The delegation also received a detailed briefing on the company’s technology stack and its applications in industrial manufacturing, commercial services, and special operations, presenting embodied AI as a technology that is rapidly moving from laboratory breakthroughs toward real-world deployment.
A Chinese observer said that the Thai Prime Minister’s participation in WAIC-related events was aimed at connecting with top Chinese AI innovation resources and advancing cooperation between Thailand and China beyond traditional trade into future industries such as digital economy and smart manufacturing.
AgiBot said it will continue to expand overseas, using the WAIC as a global platform to promote open cooperation and win-win development.
The visit is a latest example of foreign leaders and international markets showing growing recognition of China’s intelligent manufacturing and AI innovation. According to Xinhua News Agency, earlier in June, President of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing visited the Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang Province.
This has underscored the rising global attention on China’s robotics and embodied AI industry, Hu Qimu, a professor at the Maritime Silk Road Institute of Huaqiao University, told the Global Times on Friday.
According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China, China exported over 10,000 units of intelligent bionic robots that have been deeply integrated with AI technology in the first half of the year, covering more than 90 countries and regions around the world. During the same period, industrial robot exports reached 6.29 billion yuan ($930 million) in the first half of the year, representing an 18.6 percent year-on-year increase, with products shipped to 141 countries and regions.
