HKU Claims Victory at ABU Robocon 2026 as Hong Kong Hosts Prestigious Robotics Contest

The University of Hong Kong’s “Gewu” team emerged as champion of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Robot Contest (ABU Robocon) 2026, defeating the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s “Gong Wu Bu Ke” team in an all-Hong Kong final.

The competition, jointly organised by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), was held in Hong Kong for the first time since 2012. A total of 16 university teams from 15 countries and regions took part in what is regarded as the largest university-level robotics contest in the Asia-Pacific region.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, Director of Broadcasting Angelina Kwan, HKSTP Chairman Cordelia Chung, and ABU Secretary-General Ahmed Nadeem officiated at the opening ceremony. The event featured a special performance combining human martial artists, a children’s martial arts troupe, Chinese percussionists and robots that had previously appeared at CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala.

This year’s contest adopted the theme “Kung Fu Quest,” inspired by the spirit of Chinese martial arts. Each team’s two robots were required to collaborate in forging traditional Chinese weapons, collecting martial arts manuals, and competing in strategic duels that blended martial arts philosophy with advanced robotics and automation technology.

In his speech, Paul Chan highlighted the rapid growth of Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem. He noted that the number of local startups had risen to a record 5,200 last year, representing an increase of nearly 40% over the past five years. He also pointed to the advantages of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which has a population of more than 87 million and serves as a leading innovation and technology cluster. Companies can source components for robot manufacturing within a 30-minute drive, supporting research, testing and production.

The participating teams came from the Chinese Mainland, Cambodia, Egypt, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Macao and Hong Kong. They competed for 18 awards, including Champion, First Runner-up, Second Runner-up and the ABU Robocon Award. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Professor Sun Dong and the President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers served as award presenters.

The event attracted around 2,000 spectators, including more than 650 participants, supporters and media representatives from the Mainland and overseas. It was broadcast live on RTHK TV31 and RTHK’s YouTube channel, with ABU member organisations also airing the competition to audiences across the region.

Beyond the competition, the teams will visit local attractions, Hong Kong Science Park and enterprises. Nearly 100 young participants will also travel to Qianhai in Shenzhen to gain insights into the nation’s innovation and technology development.