Lei Jun Charts Ambitious Tech Roadmap at Two Sessions

March 4, 2026 - Xiaomi Group's chairman Lei Jun arrived at this year's Two Sessions with more than just smartphones on his mind. As a National People's Congress representative, he submitted five groundbreaking proposals that could reshape China's technological landscape.

From Lab Prototypes to Factory Workers

The most eye-catching proposal tackles humanoid robots - those mechanical marvels that currently seem stuck between science fiction and practical application. "We're at a crucial turning point," Lei noted in his proposal. "These robots have graduated from university labs but haven't quite landed steady jobs yet."

China enjoys early technological advantages in this field, but faces stubborn challenges: inconsistent manufacturing quality, prohibitively expensive components, and limited real-world uses keeping most robots in "internship" roles rather than full production positions.

Lei's solution? A three-pronged approach:

• Accelerate engineering breakthroughs to solve practical implementation hurdles
• Expand manufacturing applications through pilot programs
• Develop comprehensive safety standards to give businesses confidence in adoption

The goal? Transform these technological showpieces into reliable "employees" that can boost productivity across industries.

Smarter Roads Ahead

The second major focus addresses China's rapid smart vehicle adoption. As autonomous features become commonplace, Lei warns we're outpacing our infrastructure and regulations.

"Imagine giving millions of drivers cars they don't fully understand," he analogized. His proposals call for:

• Unified technical standards across manufacturers
• Modernized driver education programs focusing on assisted driving systems
• New traffic management approaches blending human and AI decision-making

The stakes couldn't be higher - get this right, and China could set the global benchmark for safe autonomous transportation.

Building Tomorrow's Workforce Today

Recognizing that advanced hardware needs equally sophisticated operators, Lei proposed creating an "Intelligent Electric Vehicles" interdisciplinary program at universities. This wouldn't just produce engineers - it would cultivate versatile professionals fluent in both technology and business realities.

The plan emphasizes industry-academia collaboration from day one, ensuring graduates hit the ground running with relevant skills rather than theoretical knowledge alone.

Innovation Beyond the Lab

The final proposals take an unconventional approach to spurring innovation: 1) Recognizing corporate tech philanthropy in official innovation metrics 2) Developing industrial tourism showcasing Chinese manufacturing excellence 3) Strengthening the "Made in China" brand globally

The underlying message? True innovation requires cultural support as much as technical brilliance.

Key Points:

• Humanoid robot industrialization could become China's next major tech export
• Smart driving standards need urgent attention as adoption accelerates
• Education reform must keep pace with technological change
• Innovation metrics should value real-world impact alongside patents
• Industrial tourism offers unexpected benefits for talent recruitment