The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has implemented a prohibition on the entry of new foreign-produced humanoid robots and power inverters due to identified national security concerns, specifically targeting China. In response, Beijing has promptly accused the U.S. of engaging in protectionist measures. These actions are expected to strain relations with Beijing as Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to visit U.S. President Donald Trump in September. China currently holds a dominant position in the global market for humanoid robots, boasting an estimated market share of approximately 85%. The FCC’s restrictions extend to new imports of quadruped robots, commonly known as four-legged robot dogs, as the agency highlights cybersecurity and other national security risks associated with advanced robot imports. According to FCC Chair Brendan Carr, the goal of these bans is to safeguard critical supply chains in the United States, specifically targeting “new versions” of these imports.
These recent FCC bans are part of a series of U.S. limitations on Chinese imports, including drones, and restrictions on the export of advanced U.S. technology to China. Additionally, the U.S. is contemplating controls on the utilization of Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models, coinciding with the rapid advancement of Chinese AI technology. The ongoing tensions have been described as potential areas of conflict leading up to the Trump-Xi summit scheduled for September, as highlighted by Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at the New America think-tank specializing in Chinese technology policies.
China has been rapidly expanding its robot implementation, supported by favorable policies for the technology sector. Analysts at Morgan Stanley predict that China’s humanoid robot market could reach $15 billion US by 2030. Despite U.S. efforts to restrict Chinese access to their market, analysts like Kangyuxiao Li from Morningstar suggest that this may not significantly impede China’s overall humanoid development due to its robust domestic manufacturing capabilities and opportunities in other export markets. Of the approximately 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, leading Chinese companies Unitree and AGIBOT each shipped over 5,000 units, surpassing their U.S. counterparts such as Tesla and Figure AI, which shipped only a few hundred or fewer units, according to Omdia, a technology research and advisory group.
Regarding the ban on power inverters, analyst Cheng Wang from Morningstar believes that the impact on U.S. markets will likely be limited. This ban is not expected to affect the continued use of existing devices or the sale of previously approved models by Chinese companies in the United States.
In response to the U.S. actions, China’s Foreign Ministry criticized Washington for expanding the scope of national security to suppress Chinese companies, vowing to take all necessary measures to protect Chinese businesses’ rights and interests. The Ministry emphasized that protectionist measures do not enhance U.S. competitiveness and may adversely affect U.S. companies and consumers. Lian Jye Su, a chief analyst at Omdia, highlighted potential disruptions to collaborations between U.S. and Chinese tech firms due to the new bans. For instance, Nvidia recently introduced a humanoid robot reference design that utilizes the humanoid chassis of China’s Unitree. Notably, the Pentagon has listed Unitree and several other major Chinese tech companies as entities linked to or assisting the Chinese military, a claim that Beijing has refuted.