The United States does not want Chinese humanoid robots

The Trump administration is banning the import of new Chinese humanoid robots.“An unacceptable risk to our national security,” officials say.

This week, the Trump administration announced an import ban targeting new humanoid robots manufactured abroad. The United States is thus directly targeting China. The Federal Communications Commission has added these devices to the “Covered List,” a registry of goods that pose a risk to U.S. national security. The ban also applies to four-legged“robot dogs” as well as foreign inverters, which are essential components of data centers and solar panels.

According to the FCC, these network-connected robots could be hacked, used for espionage, or even remotely hijacked by foreign governments. Power inverters are also said to have vulnerabilities: foreign companies could use them to disrupt power grids, steal data, or cause power outages. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr described this measure as a logical step in “securing critical supply chains”. Existing models that have already been certified, however, may still be sold and used; only new models are subject to the ban. An exemption process will be established by the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security.

China unhappy

Beijing reacted strongly. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke of “the political abuse of security arguments and protectionism” that harms American businesses and consumers.“China will take all necessary measures to protect the rights of Chinese companies,” spokesperson Mao Ning told BBC World. Previously, China had already threatened to retaliate in the event of new sanctions.

Trade War with China

This decision is part of a broader technological offensive led by Washington. The United States is already blocking the export of advanced chips to China, has imposed high tariffs on Chinese electric cars, and is threatening Chinese companies specializing in AI with sanctions for alleged intellectual property theft.

Analysts point to a strategic objective: the United States does not want to relive what happened last year when China restricted exports of rare earth metals, which put a strain on global supply chains. Critics fear that this escalation will further poison the technology race and slow innovation—on both sides of the Pacific.