International guests take selfies with robots in Dongguan, South China's Guangdong Province, on September 3, 2026. Photo: Guan Kejiang/GT

Inside a sleek BYD electric vehicle, foreign journalists and delegates lean forward, testing the limits of voice-activated smart driving. A few feet away, as the company's Yangwang U9 performs its signature "dance" showing its active suspension system, phones rise in unison. The day before, delegates had laid comfortably on AI-enabled smart mattresses, with their eyes fixed on the screens displaying their real-time sleep and health data, a mix of surprise and satisfaction on their faces.

With the high-level Asia-Pacific Media Forum opening in Shenzhen on Saturday, in the days leading up to the event, groups of overseas media representatives fanned out to experience Chinese technological innovation firsthand at local enterprises.

The timing aligns with a broader global trend. As Reuters recently reported, "tech pilgrims" are flocking to China as the global innovation race heats up. For the media professionals on this trip, the tour was more than a sightseeing excursion: it was a window into the scale and sophistication of China's technological rise.

"Come on! Come on!" Cheers and laughter filled a park in Zhuhai. On one side of the tug-of-war rope were three foreign journalists; on the other was the quadruped robot dog named Qinbao. The journalists pulled with everything they had, with bodies angled backward. Qinbao stayed planted, its four mechanical legs firmly fixed to the ground. After several rounds of three-against-one contests, the robot dog won every time.

Weighing about 75 kilograms, Qinbao can carry a 200-kilogram load and even pull a 2.55-ton vehicle. For many of the foreign reporters, this was their first close encounter with a quadruped robot. The playful challenge offered a direct, memorable feel for the strength of Chinese robotics technology.

"I didn't expect it to be so powerful," said Chanthamaitry Thepsimeuang, a reporter from Laos media outlet Pasaxon. "China has developed many advanced robots that can do things humans cannot."

Dahlan Dahi, CEO of Indonesia's Tribun Network, said Chinese companies' steady investment in research and development had left a strong impression. "R&D is essential. Only through continuous research can a company master leading-edge technology, keep iterating, and stay competitive."

Three foreign journalists play a game of tug-of-war with a robot in Dongguan, South China's Guangdong Province, on September 3, 2026. Photo: Li Jiayu/GT

At the display area for BYD - one of China's new-energy vehicle pioneers - the nail penetration test on a blade battery drew particular interest. Delegates leaned in, eyes fixed on the battery as a steel needle pierced through it - no smoke, no fire, no explosion. More visitors crowded around, eager to see for themselves what Chinese EV technology could deliver.

When asked whether she would recommend Chinese new-energy vehicles to other Americans, Rebecca Fannin, a tech journalist from the US, told the Global Times that her recommendation was hardly needed anymore. "You can see BYD cars on US streets," she said. "The fact speaks for itself."

A Pakistani media representative told the Global Times that Chinese EVs are already widely seen in Islamabad, the country's capital, and expressed optimism about their market prospects in Pakistan.

Some of the media representatives expressed the hope that these firsthand experiences would help them deliver more authentic and balanced reporting upon returning home.

The visitors were able to observe Guangzhou's deep historical roots and Foshan's manufacturing base, as well as Zhuhai's youthful energy, Zhongshan's cultural heritage, Dongguan's smart manufacturing, and Shenzhen's innovation-driven growth. The visit took in cities across the Greater Bay Area and showcased concrete progress in industrial upgrading, green development, renewable energy and cultural creativity.