Bangladesh, Aug. 22 -- It's been called the Robot Olympics. But unlike the human Olympics, Team China is collecting almost all the medals.

Over the past decade, robotic competitions in China have provided a window into the advances of a now-surging sector - and the importance of its success as a strategic industry singled out by President Xi Jinping.

Once a curiosity organized by academic teams and hobbyists, China's robot games have become a national showcase celebrated by state media - and, increasingly, a proving ground for commercial products from companies looking to show real-world applications beyond the spectacle.

The five-day World Humanoid Robot Games - the latest and biggest incarnation of the competition - began on Saturday...