Beijing — A lifelike “robot antelope” is patrolling Tibet’s Hoh Xil plateau as part of China’s growing surveillance network, according to state media footage.
With realistic features such as doe-like eyes and thick brown fur, the 5G- and AI-powered device is designed to closely mimic the endangered Tibetan antelope while scanning its surroundings with advanced sensors, Xinhua reported. Developed jointly by Xinhua, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Hangzhou-based DEEP Robotics, the machine uses real-time monitoring to study the migration, feeding, and mating patterns of the species.
China has invested heavily in its robotics sector, offering tens of billions in subsidies, and recently hosted the 2025 World Robot Conference. The country introduced 5G services to Tibet in 2019, and by 2022, the region had reached one million users. A base station built in Gogmo in late 2023 expanded network coverage to all districts, state media said.
Beijing has also poured resources into Tibet, integrating the region into its Belt and Road Initiative and strengthening trade connections with Central Asia. Alongside these economic projects, China has expanded surveillance and boosted its digital infrastructure along the border with India.
A July report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies alleged that China has used local telecom networks to track dissidents in Nepal and conduct cyber theft operations.
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