At the National Day reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Riyadh, Chinese humanoid robots performed the traditional Al-Ardah sword dance. Adorned in traditional Saudi attire of thobes and ghutras, the robots performed a synchronized cultural dance to the chants accompanying the Najdi Ardah. The robots also carried sticks and swords to mimic the authentic folk dance.
A symbol of diplomacy
Videos of the unique performance made the rounds on social media. The reception was held at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, where Riyadh Region Mayor Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf was in attendance. The performance builds upon China’s technology-driven soft power and represents a significant diplomatic gesture. The dance combined advanced Chinese robotics with rich Saudi cultural heritage and has attracted attention from around the world because of this unique fusion.
The Al-Ardah dance holds immense importance in Saudi culture. It is a UNESCO-recognized warrior dance traditionally performed by royalty to celebrate national pride. The gesture highlights Chinese respect and effort in emulating national traditions. It also reduces fears surrounding foreign AI by portraying humanoid robots as a means of preserving Saudi identity.
It signified that China’s advanced technology is highly adaptable and respectful of traditions. Chinese humanoid robots are no longer limited to laboratory prototypes. They are highly stable, capable of physical maneuvers in real-world and commercial environments.
Sino-Saudi technology alignment
The dance also signals an expanding technological alliance between China and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Vision 2030 aligns with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In sectors such as AI, robotics, and cloud computing, the Kingdom is maintaining an eastward turn. The idea behind this is the diversification of the economy away from oil and towards a sovereign technology ecosystem.
Under this vision, Saudi Arabia aims to secure technology transfers from China, rather than just purchasing Chinese tech. Therefore, Chinese tech giants are now building manufacturing hubs and regional research and development centres in the Kingdom. These developments are heavily funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). A prominent example of this is a $100 million investment by Saudi Arabia technology funds in Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai.
Moreover, existing MoUs with firms like BOE Technology Group have also been expanded. To fulfil Saudi Arabia’s goal of futuristic projects such as NEOM, Huawei is also providing massive 5G infrastructure and Alibaba Cloud is operating data centres.
Another important feature of this performance is its apparent defiance of Western conditions regarding technology transfer. The US has consistently emphasized strict regulatory and data-privacy provisions on the use of AI. Through this dance, China upheld its non-interference diplomatic doctrine. It propagates China’s vision of advanced technology without political conditions attached.
Video of Saudi sword dance performed by Chinese humanoid robots
Biyolojik insanın sonu!
İşte Arap kıyafetleri içinde dans eden robotlar!Suudi Arabistan’ın geleneksel kıyafetlerini giyen Çin yapımı robotlar, Riyad Belediye Başkanı ve Çin Büyükelçisi için halk dansı gösterisi yaptı.
Sahi kim insan, kim robot? pic.twitter.com/gv4kd2ok4x
— Murat AKAN 🇹🇷 (@yazarmuratakan) September 30, 2026
