Humanoid robot import ban targets China over security fears
The FCC is blocking new foreign-made humanoid robots, robot dogs and power inverters, citing supply chain and cybersecurity risks.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
3 min read
The U.S. humanoid robot import ban is here, and it reaches beyond walking machines. The Federal Communications Commission is barring new foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots and power inverters, citing national security concerns in a move aimed at China.
FCC chairperson Brendan Carr said Tuesday that the action is meant to “secure America’s critical supply chains,” according to the agency’s announcement reported by CBS News. Carr said the restrictions apply to “new versions” of the affected imports.
The ban comes as Washington and Beijing face another potential point of tension before a planned U.S. visit and meeting in September between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and President Trump. China holds an estimated 85% share of the global humanoid robot market, according to the report.
Why is the U.S. banning humanoid robot imports?
The FCC based the decision on findings from a White House task force, French news agency AFP reported. The task force concluded that foreign-built robots could pose “a cybersecurity risk” to critical infrastructure and to the “safety and security” of U.S. residents.
The agency also said that relying on offshore production for such equipment can leave U.S. supply chains exposed to disruptions, according to AFP.
The order also covers quadruped robots, the four-legged machines often described as robot dogs. Power inverters are included too, a broader category with potential effects across energy and technology.
A power inverter converts direct current electricity into alternating current electricity. These devices are used in renewable energy systems, data centers and household appliances, so the restriction could touch industries well beyond robotics.
China’s robot industry is moving fast
China has pushed aggressively into robotics with policies that support its technology sector. Morgan Stanley analysts forecast that China’s humanoid robot market could reach $15 billion by 2030.
Morningstar analyst Kangyuxiao Li said Chinese manufacturers have been expanding output and cutting costs faster than many competitors abroad. Li said limiting access to the U.S. would remove an important future market and shield U.S. developers from possible price competition.
Li also said the restriction is unlikely to seriously slow China’s humanoid robot development because of the size of its domestic manufacturing base and other export opportunities.
Technology research and advisory group Omdia said about 15,000 humanoid robots were shipped globally in 2025. Unitree and AGIBOT, two of China’s largest advanced robotics companies, each shipped more than 5,000, while U.S. companies such as Tesla and Figure AI each shipped a few hundred or fewer, according to Omdia.
Beijing pushes back
China’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of stretching the meaning of national security to suppress Chinese companies. The ministry said China would take “all measures necessary” to protect the legitimate rights and interests 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,” Mao Ning, a ministry spokesperson, told reporters Wednesday in Beijing.
The restrictions follow other U.S. limits on Chinese products, including drones, as well as export controls on advanced U.S. technology bound for China. The U.S. is also considering limits on the use of Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models as Chinese AI gains ground.
Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at New America focused on Chinese technology policy, called the measures part of “a steady drumbeat of potential flashpoints” before the planned Trump-Xi summit in September.
Omdia chief analyst Lian Jye Su said the new bans could affect collaborations between U.S. and Chinese technology companies. Nvidia, for example, revealed in June a humanoid robot reference design that uses a chassis from China’s Unitree.
The Pentagon recently placed Unitree and several other major Chinese technology firms on a list of companies it says have ties to or support China’s military. Beijing has rejected that claim.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.