China is moving humanoid robots out of showrooms and into a place where there is no room for mistakes: border crossings. A pilot program near Vietnam would use human-shaped machines to guide travelers, move supplies, and support patrols.
The plan highlights how fast public agencies are starting to test robots in everyday operations in 2025, alongside human staff. Supporters say they could boost efficiency, while critics worry about surveillance, safety, and accountability.
The detail about these new robots that has drawn the most attention is their endurance. The robots are built to keep working by swapping their own batteries, a step that could make round-the-clock deployment more practical.
A pilot program at the China-Vietnam border
A Reuters report published on November 25, 2025 said the robot maker UBTECH Robotics secured a contract worth 264 million yuan in Guangxi. The deal would deploy its industrial Walker S2 humanoid robots for support work at the border with Vietnam. The tasks listed included guiding travelers, conducting inspections, and logistics, with deliveries expected to start in December.
Humanoid robots are built to walk and use tools in spaces designed for people, like hallways, doors, and checkpoints. Here, “logistics” refers to the behind-the-scenes work of moving and organizing goods, from luggage to equipment for staff. Early descriptions frame these machines as helpers, not as the ones making final decisions about who can enter.
How self-swapping batteries change what robots can do
As the name suggests, battery swapping means that instead of waiting to recharge, a robot removes a drained battery and replaces it with a fresh one. On the Walker S2 product page, the company says the robot can do this on its own in about three minutes. That design, paired with a swap station, is aimed at keeping it running day and night.
Most mobile machines still need downtime, even when their software is advanced. A robot that manages its own power can stay on duty longer, which is crucial in places that cannot pause for charging. It also shifts some work from constant babysitting toward planned maintenance, safety checks, and clear rules for when a human takes over.
From one contract to a bigger production push
A border pilot is also a test of supply, not just technology. In a company press release, the robot maker said it had begun mass production and deliveries of its industrial humanoids. It also pointed to rising orders for the Walker line during 2025.
If those claims hold up in the field, it strengthens the case for using humanoid robots in jobs where the environment keeps changing. Border crossings are crowded and noisy, with unpredictable movement that is harder than repeating the same motion on an assembly line. That is why early deployments often focus on support tasks where humans can step in quickly.
What it means for workers and everyday life
Automation at a border checkpoint can change jobs even when it does not eliminate them. Some roles may shift toward monitoring screens, helping travelers, and responding when machines fail or need help. Training and clear handoffs are important, because a robot can follow rules but still misunderstand a messy real-world situation.
The debate is already spilling into public conversations about work and safety. On the Spanish radio program Herrera en COPE, technology analyst Jorge Morla said the big change is continuous operation and warned that social planning will become more important as machines work nonstop. Questions about safety standards and data collection, like whether a robot can record video in public, could shape public trust. This pilot program will serve as a high-profile test of whether the promise of 24/7 robotic efficiency can be balanced with the necessary human oversight and public acceptance.
