Chinese troops will take strong and effective measures to foil any provocation and resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a military spokesman said on Saturday.
Spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense Wu Qian made the statement at a press conference responding to two German warships' transit through the Taiwan Strait on Friday.
Relevant German officials said the move was aimed at carrying out "freedom of navigation."
"On Sept. 13, two German warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait, which was then hyped up by the German side. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command deployed forces on the sea and in the air to track and monitor the German warships the entire duration. 'Freedom of navigation' doesn't mean 'freedom of trespassing', and still less can it be an excuse for acts of provocations or undermining China's sovereignty and security. Chinese troops will stay on high alert at all times, take strong and effective measures to foil any provocation attempt, and resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," said the spokesman.
Chinese troops will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity: spokesman
The world's first humanoid robot half-marathon, set to take place in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area next week, will offer a unique platform for robotics companies to test their creations in real-world conditions.
The robots will run a 21.0975-kilometer course alongside human runners, but in a separate lane divided by barriers or greenbelts for safety. Seven aid stations will be positioned along the route.
"The aid stations mainly support participating teams by providing battery replacements, safety equipment, and auxiliary tools," explained Wang Guolin, deputy head of the robot competition group.
Referees and support personnel will follow the robots throughout the race to address any unexpected issues.
While robots are usually evaluated in controlled settings, this half-marathon presents a unique opportunity for developers to test their capabilities in complex real-world scenarios.
"The robot marathon represents a marathon of technology and industry. The robots running on the track symbolize our pursuit of advancement in technology and industry," said Liang Liang, deputy director of the Management Committee of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.
The challenging half-marathon course requires robots to navigate long-distance bipedal walking or running, varied terrain, and potential unforeseen situations.
This demands a high level of performance in areas such as sensor accuracy, chip computing speed, and algorithmic intelligence.
Organizers noted that many of the participating robots were not designed for running and endurance, but this competition provides a platform for comprehensive testing.
"The race can evaluate robots' locomotion capabilities, stability, posture, energy efficiency, and control algorithms. We hope that through this exchange we can jointly promote the development of the embodied robotics industry," Wang said.
The participating robots have completed initial track tests and are now undergoing final preparations for the event.
Humanoid robots gear up for real-world test in half-marathon event
