HONG KONG — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is banning imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, citing national security risks, in a move that targets China. Beijing quickly accused the U.S. of protectionism.<\/p>\n
The measures are likely to test relations<\/a> with Beijing ahead of a planned U.S. visit<\/a> by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in September. China dominates the global market for humanoid robots<\/a> with an estimated market share of roughly 85%.<\/p>\n The FCC\u2019s ban also includes new imports of quadruped robots, often 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.<\/p>\n The ban on power inverters, which are used to convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity and are used in renewable energy systems, data centers and household appliances, could have sweeping ramifications.<\/p>\n FCC chairperson Brendan Carr said Tuesday that the move was to \u201csecure America\u2019s critical supply chains.\u201d He said the bans apply to \u201cnew versions\u201d of such imports.<\/p>\n The FCC\u2019s bans follow a slew of U.S. restrictions on imports of Chinese products, including drones<\/a>, and on exports of U.S. advanced technology to China.<\/p>\n The U.S. is also weighing controls on use of Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models at a time when Chinese AI is rapidly gaining ground<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a steady drumbeat of potential flashpoints heading into (the) Trump-Xi summit planned for September,\u201d said Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at the New America think tank focused on Chinese technology policies.<\/p>\n China has been rapidly expanding the use of robots, with policies supporting its technology sector. Morgan Stanley analysts forecast its market for humanoids could reach $15 billion by 2030.<\/p>\n \u201cChinese manufacturers have been scaling production and reducing costs faster than most overseas competitors,\u201d said analyst Kangyuxiao Li at Morningstar.<\/p>\n \u201cRestricting their access to the U.S. removes an important future market and protects U.S. developers from potential price competition,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, it will not materially slow China\u2019s overall humanoid development, given the size of its domestic manufacturing base and opportunities in other export markets.\u201d<\/p>\n Of the around 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, Unitree and AGIBOT, two of China\u2019s largest advanced robotics companies, each shipped more than 5,000. Their U.S. counterparts, like Tesla and Figure AI, each shipped a few hundred or less, according to the technology research and advisory group Omdia.<\/p>\n On the restrictions on power inverters, Cheng Wang, another Morningstar analyst, said the pressure on U.S. markets should be limited. The ban appears to not impact the continued use of existing devices nor the selling by Chinese companies of models that were previously approved by the United States.<\/p>\n China’s Foreign Ministry hit back at the U.S. move, accusing Washington of overstretching the concept of national security to suppress Chinese companies.<\/p>\n China will take \u201call measures necessary\u201d to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses, it said.<\/p>\n \u201cProtectionism does not make the U.S. more competitive, and it will only hurt the interests of U.S. companies and consumers,\u201d Mao Ning, a ministry spokesperson, told reporters at a regular press conference Wednesday in Beijing.<\/p>\n The new bans could also potentially interfere with collaborations between U.S. and Chinese technology companies, said Lian Jye Su, a chief analyst at Omdia.<\/p>\n Nvidia, for example, in June revealed<\/a> a humanoid robot reference design which uses the humanoid chassis of China’s Unitree.<\/p>\n