China’s humanoid robots have been taking over the global market. Now the US is banning them

By John Liu, CNN

(CNN) — China, which supplies the vast majority of the world’s humanoid robots, has suddenly been cut off from its largest export market as the US government moves to curb its reliance on foreign technology.

On Tuesday, the Trump Administration banned new humanoid and quadruped robot imports from foreign manufacturers, saying they pose “unacceptable risks” to US national security. The ban also includes power converters used to connect renewable energy infrastructure and batteries to the power grid.

The new restrictions, which exclude models already in use, are the latest attempt by Washington to bolster and safeguard its domestic industries and supply chain, amid an intensifying rivalry with China to dominate advanced technology and artificial intelligence.

While China has trailed the US in the development of cutting-edge AI models, the rollout of ever more powerful Chinese models in recent months has rattled Washington and Silicon Valley.

China, analysts said, has also established a lead in AI consumer applications and AI-enabled hardware, such as robots, thanks to its manufacturing scale and ability to commercialize products quickly.

“These devices could create supply chain vulnerabilities that could disrupt US economic and national security and could create a cybersecurity risk that threatened American critical infrastructure,” the Federal Communications Commission said in a statement.

The FCC decision was based on a national security determination made on Monday by a White House-convened interagency body, which warned that internet-connected robots could pose data privacy risks and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. US officials have previously raised similar concerns to block the sale of Chinese-made electric vehicles in the US.

The robots “collect data that could be leveraged by malign actors to surveil Americans, enhance the capabilities of foreign intelligence services, or to remotely commandeer the robots,” the document for the determination said.

In response, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Beijing has consistently opposed what she called the US practice of abusing the concept of national security to suppress Chinese companies, vowing to “take necessary measures” to defend their interests.

“Protectionism will not enhance US competitiveness; it will only harm the interests of American businesses and consumers,” she said at a Wednesday press conference.

CNN has reached out to China’s Ministry of Commerce as well as top Chinese humanoid robot makers, including Unitree, Agibot, UBTech and Galbot, for comment.

This is not the first time that the FCC has banned foreign technologies, with a particular focus on Chinese businesses. Last December, it introduced similar restrictions against foreign-made drones, effectively cutting off another Chinese tech giant DJI from the US market.

In just a few years, China’s humanoid robot industry has blossomed into one of the country’s most promising strategic sectors, with more than 140 manufacturers and a rapidly expanding supply chain.

In a report released by legal research platform LexisNexis on Tuesday, six out of the world’s top 10 humanoid startups ranked by patent strength were from China. Chinese makers dominated the top five spots, followed by San Jose-based Figure AI and Germany’s Agile Robots.

Last year, Chinese companies accounted for 90% of worldwide shipments, while US competitors like Tesla and Figure AI have struggled to start mass manufacturing. The US – the world’s largest consumer market – was also the biggest overseas destination for Chinese-made androids last year, according to technology research firm Interact Analysis.

Last month, US tech giant Nvidia said it would partner with one of China’s top humanoid robot makers Unitree for research and development. But that same month, Unitree was marked by the US government as a potential security risk with connections to the Chinese military, and barred from entering any contracts with the Department of Defense.

Soumen Mandal, principal analyst at market analysis firm Counterpoint Research, said the timing is likely not an accident as several Chinese humanoid makers, including Unitree, are gearing up for IPOs this year.

“US companies such as Tesla, Figure and Boston Dynamics greatly benefit from this news,” he said.

For Chinese firms, the ban will likely disrupt US sales in the short term, said Lian Jye Su, chief analyst focusing on AI and humanoid robots at research firm Omdia. But he expects the overall impact to be “minimal,” given the longstanding geopolitical tensions between the US and China.

“They were realistic about their opportunity in the US market and the current ban reflects their expectations,” he said, adding that many Chinese vendors are looking to Europe as their prime destination.

“Given the current shortage of alternatives, the ban is unlikely to hurt their growth trajectory,” Su added.

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CNN’s Fred He in Beijing contributing to this report.