The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, citing national security risks in a measure aimed at China. China dominates the global market for humanoid robots with an estimated 85% market share, and Beijing quickly accused Washington of protectionism. The action lands weeks before a planned September visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to meet U.S. President Trump.<\/p>\n
FCC chairperson Brendan Carr said the move was designed to “secure America’s critical supply chains.” The agency is blocking new imports of advanced robots, including quadruped machines often described as four-legged robot dogs, and power inverters. Inverters convert direct current electricity into alternating current and are used in renewable energy systems, data centers, and household appliances. The FCC framed the robots as a cybersecurity and supply-chain risk and said offshore production leaves U.S. supply chains vulnerable to disruption.<\/p>\n
Carr said the restrictions apply to “new versions” of such imports. Cheng Wang, an analyst at Morningstar, noted that the ban does not appear to affect the continued use of devices already on the market, nor the sale of Chinese models that the U.S. had previously approved.<\/p>\n
The decision extends a long list of U.S. restrictions on Chinese imports, including drones, and on exports of advanced U.S. technology to China. Washington is also weighing controls on the use of Chinese open-weight artificial intelligence models as Chinese AI gains ground.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
Of the roughly 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, two of China’s largest advanced robotics companies, Unitree and AGIBOT, each shipped more than 5,000 units, according to technology research and advisory group Omdia. Their U.S. counterparts, including Tesla and Figure AI, each shipped a few hundred or fewer.<\/p>\n
Morgan Stanley analysts forecast China’s humanoid market could reach $15 billion by 2030. Kangyuxiao Li, an analyst at Morningstar, said Chinese manufacturers have been scaling production and cutting costs faster than most overseas competitors. “Restricting their access to the U.S. removes an important future market and protects U.S. developers from potential price competition,” Li said. “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.”<\/p>\n
The Pentagon recently added Unitree and several other major Chinese technology companies to a list of firms it says have ties to or aid the Chinese military. Beijing has rejected that claim.<\/p>\n
The new bans could also complicate U.S.-China technology partnerships. Lian Jye Su, a chief analyst at Omdia, pointed to Nvidia, which in June revealed a humanoid robot reference design built around Unitree’s chassis.<\/p>\n
China’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of overstretching the concept of national security to suppress Chinese companies and said Beijing would take “all measures necessary” to defend the rights of Chinese businesses. “Protectionism does not make the U.S. more competitive, and it will only hurt the interests of U.S. companies and consumers,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters at a regular news conference in Beijing.<\/p>\n
The bans add another friction point to the U.S.-China relationship just as the two governments prepare for a leader-level meeting in September. The inverter restrictions could have broader effects on renewable energy, data centers, and household electronics, while the robot import ban directly targets the country supplying the overwhelming majority of global humanoid units.<\/p>\n
The FCC banned new imports of foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots often called four-legged robot dogs, and power inverters, citing cybersecurity and supply-chain risks.<\/p>\n
China accounts for roughly 85% of the global humanoid robot market, and shipments from Chinese firms Unitree and AGIBOT each exceeded 5,000 units in 2025, compared with a few hundred or fewer from U.S. makers such as Tesla and Figure AI.<\/p>\n
China’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of overstretching national security to suppress Chinese companies and said Beijing would take all measures necessary to defend Chinese business interests. Spokesperson Mao Ning said protectionism would only hurt U.S. companies and consumers.<\/p>\n