A robot served meals to students at a university in China.

The machine, equipped with a precise mechanical arm, distributed food using a ladle in the dining hall in Beijing, China, on August 20.

Footage shows the robot carefully lifting the viand with the spoon and placing it onto a white tray.

China is in a tech 'arms race' with the West, including Elon Musk in Texas, for the development of robots.

The rivalry between Musk and companies in China is rooted in the broader competition for leadership in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation, fields crucial to the future of manufacturing, consumer technology, and space exploration.

Both Musk and several Chinese tech giants are vying to shape these industries.

Musk - who had a prominent role in the recent US election victory of Donald Trump - recently presented Optimus, describing it as a multi-functional assistant that could handle household chores, play with children, and assist with various repetitive tasks.