Chongqing - Zhejiang–Fuling collaboration is taking shape at the Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley in Fuling, where a robot café backed by Zhejiang-based robotics firms is creating a new tech-driven consumer experience. A Bridging News reporter visited the valley on December 20.

The Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley lies at the northwestern end of the Wuling Mountains, where crustal movement has shaped its formation. The area features crisscrossing peaks, plateaus, and valleys, with a maximum drop of nearly 1,400 meters from the valley bottom to the mountain top, presenting a typical karst landform.

On a rainy day, the valley lay unusually quiet. As the reporter entered the gate, they were met by mist and drizzle. Thick fog blurred the mountain outlines, with green peaks appearing only briefly through the haze before being swallowed again by the clouds.

The valley was relatively quiet on the rainy day. After entering the gate, mist and rain greeted the reporter. The thick fog obscured the outline of the mountains. Only through the gaps could the green mountain peaks emerge, which were then covered by the fog again.

On December 20, Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley, shrouded in mist, looked exceptionally tranquil. (Photo/Huxin Luo)

Walking along the scenic area road, the reporter reached the robot-themed café. The café adopts a modern minimalist design, with large-area glass curtain walls offering a direct view of the mountain scenery outside.

Humanoid robots, robotic dogs and other smart devices fill the café. Coffee-making robots prepare coffee on site, allowing visitors to receive a freshly brewed cup within minutes. Robotic dogs perform interactive routines such as jumping, while chess-playing robots offer hands-on entertainment for customers.

At the robot-themed café in Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley, robots made coffee. (Photo/Huxin Luo)

The technology-driven café reflects concrete cooperation between Zhejiang and Fuling. Fan Wenchang, General Manager of Fuling Wuling Mountain Tourism Development Co., Ltd., said, “The initial plan aimed to revitalize local landscape resources, develop distinctive cultural tourism offerings, and boost the scenic area’s appeal through cross-industry collaboration.”

Fan said the team refined the concept after discussions with Zhejiang partners and alignment with national policies supporting AI equipment and intelligent products. The two sides ultimately proposed combining technology with natural settings and jointly advanced the robot café project.

At the robot-themed café in Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley, a humanoid robot from Unitree stood upright. (Photo/Huxin Luo)

All core equipment comes from enterprises based in Hangzhou, according to Fan. The café features humanoid robots from Unitree, interactive robotic dogs from DeepRobotics, and venue design and planning supported by software from Manycore Tech. Nearly 12 Hangzhou-based companies contributed intelligent equipment to the café’s design and operations.

The café opened during China’s National Day holiday in 2025. Fan said the scenic area recorded about 12,000 visits per day during the holiday, with roughly 25% of visitors entering the café—exceeding expectations. During the off-season, the café still attracts an average of 200 to 300 visitors daily. The project has created a new experience for tourists and injected fresh momentum into cultural tourism development in the valley.

Beyond its blend of technology and tourism, the valley’s natural ecology also stood out. During the visit, wild macaques appeared along the roadside railings, calmly watching the reporter, with one even trying to peek into a backpack for food. The reporter captured the moments on camera.

During the reporters' visit, several wild macaques appeared on the stone railings by the road. (Photo/Huxin Luo)

Official data shows that forest coverage in the valley exceeds 95%, providing habitat for more than 2,000 species of wildlife and plants, including southern yew, macaques and golden pheasants. The rich forest ecosystem functions as a natural “oxygen bar” while supporting biodiversity, demonstrating how ecological conservation and cultural tourism development can advance in parallel.