US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targets China over national security
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, a move that targets China on national security grounds. According to the. . .
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, a move that targets China on national security grounds. According to the FCC, the measures are likely to test relations with Beijing ahead of a planned US visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to meet with US President Donald Trump in September. Meanwhile, China dominates the global market for humanoid robots with an estimated market share of roughly 85%. According to ABC, the FCC’s ban also includes new imports of quadruped robots, which are referred to as four-legged robot dogs. The agency said imports of advanced robots pose cybersecurity and other national security risks. Offshore production of such equipment also leaves U. S. supply chains vulnerable to disruptions. The report says the ban on power inverters, which are used to convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity used in renewable energy systems, data centres and household appliances, could have sweeping ramifications. FCC chairperson Brendan Carr said on Tuesday that the move was to secure America’s critical supply chains, adding that the bans apply to new versions of such imports. ALSO READ:Robot beggars take over Chinese streetsThe FCC’s bans follow a slew of US restrictions on imports of Chinese products, including drones, and on exports of US advanced technology to China. The US is also weighing controls on use of Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models at a time when Chinese AI is rapidly gaining ground. “It’s a steady drumbeat of potential flashpoints heading into (the) Trump-Xi summit planned for September,” said Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at the New America think tank focused on Chinese technology policies. China has been rapidly expanding the use of robots, with policies supporting its technology sector. Morgan Stanley analysts forecasted its market for humanoids could reach $15 billion by 2030. “Chinese manufacturers have been scaling production and reducing costs faster than most overseas competitors,” said analyst Kangyuxiao Li at Morningstar. “Restricting their access to the US removes an important future market and protects US developers from potential price competition. “However, it will not materially slow China’s overall humanoid development, given the size of its domestic manufacturing base and opportunities in other export markets,” he said. However, China’s Foreign Ministry hit back at the US move, accusing Washington of overstretching the concept of national security to suppress Chinese companies. “China will take all measures necessary to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses,” it said. A ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, told reporters at a regular press conference in Beijing on Wednesday,“Protectionism does not make the US more competitive, and it will only hurt the interests of US companies and consumers. ”The new bans could also potentially interfere with collaborations between US and Chinese technology companies, said Lian Jye Su, a chief analyst at Omdia. For example, In June, Nvidia revealed a humanoid robot reference design which uses the humanoid chassis of China’s Unitree. The Pentagon recently included Unitree and several other major Chinese technology companies on its list of firms that it said have ties to or aid the Chinese military. Beijing has rejected that claim. A technology research and advisory group Omdia said each of Unitree and AGIBOT, two of China’s largest advanced robotics companies shipped more than 5,000 out of the around 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025. Their US counterparts, like Tesla and Figure AI, each shipped a few hundred or less. (ABC)WATCH TOP VIDEOS FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE TVBack to School, Back to Business A Fresh StartRelationship Hangout: Public vs Private Proposals – Which Truly Wins in Love?“No” Is a Complete Sentence: Why You Should Stop Feeling GuiltyRelationship Hangout: Friendship Talk 2025 – How to Be a Good Friend & Big Questions on FriendshipPolice Overpower Armed Robbers in Ibadan After Fierce StruggleGet real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel now