US bans import of foreign humanoid robots, targeting China's 85% market dominance

The United States has banned the import of new humanoid and quadruped robots manufactured abroad, a decision announced by the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday 28 July. The restriction targets advanced robotic devices weighing more than two kilograms that use sensors, network connectivity and software to navigate autonomously, including obstacle avoidance. The measure effectively blocks Chinese manufacturers from the American market, where they have built a dominant position.

What the ban covers

The FCC added "advanced robotic devices" to its restricted list, a category that includes bipedal humanoids, quadruped robots often called robot dogs, and certain foreign-made power inverters. The list already contained specific drone types and Chinese companies Huawei and China Telecom. The decision does not force the removal of robots already authorized or in use in the United States. New foreign-made devices, however, can no longer obtain the FCC authorization required for commercial sale. The agency may also re-examine existing authorizations.

The White House task force behind the decision cited three main risks: espionage, data theft and remote takeover. These robots combine sensors, artificial intelligence and internet connectivity. The task force argued they could move through factories, observe their surroundings, approach sensitive infrastructure and receive external instructions. The FCC stated that robots made abroad "represent unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or to the safety and security of persons in the United States."

Advanced robotic devices represent unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or to the safety and security of persons in the United States.

National security agencies also warned that the robots "could create fragility points in the supply chain capable of disrupting the economic and national security of the United States" and pose "a cybersecurity risk capable of threatening crucial American infrastructure." The Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security may grant exemptions for devices they determine do not involve unacceptable risks.

China's market dominance

Chinese companies accounted for roughly 85% of global humanoid robot deliveries last year, according to Barclays analysts, with one estimate putting the share nearer 90%. The country has more than 140 manufacturers and a production chain capable of rapidly commercializing new models. Omdia reported that around 15,000 humanoid robots were delivered globally in 2025. The two largest Chinese advanced robotics firms, Unitree and AGIBOT, each delivered more than 5,000 units. Their American counterparts, including Tesla and Figure AI, delivered several hundred each or fewer.

Morgan Stanley projects the Chinese humanoid robot market could reach $15 billion by 2030. Unitree, based in Hangzhou, and AGIBOT have sold a combined 10,000 humanoid robots abroad in 2025, while US exports remain in the hundreds of units, according to Omdia.

Kangyuxiao Li, a Morningstar analyst, told the Associated Press that "Chinese manufacturers have increased production and reduced costs more rapidly than most foreign competitors." The United States remains ahead in some areas of artificial intelligence, but its industrial players still struggle to produce humanoids at scale. Tesla plans to begin manufacturing its Optimus robot this year. Figure AI already uses humanoid robots on production lines.

China's response

China's Foreign Ministry accused the Trump administration on Wednesday of abusing national security rules to suppress Chinese firms. Spokesperson Mao Ning said the United States has a tendency "to abusively invoke national security to curb Chinese companies."

Protectionism does not improve the competitiveness of the United States. It only harms the interests of American companies and consumers.

Mao added that Beijing will take "the necessary measures" to defend the interests of Chinese companies. The ban follows a series of US restrictions on Chinese drone imports and American advanced technology exports to China. Washington is also considering controls on the use of Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models.

Broader context and exemptions

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the measures aim to "secure key American supply chains" and apply to "new versions" of imported devices. The task force cited the case of French programmer Sammy Azdoufal, who reported accidentally accessing data from 7,000 robotic vacuum cleaners made by Chinese manufacturer DJI.

The decision was taken based on the task force's findings that foreign-built robots could threaten critical infrastructure. The restriction on power inverters, devices that convert direct current from batteries or solar panels into standard alternating current for the electrical grid, extends the measure beyond robotics into energy infrastructure components.

Most humanoid robots are currently developed for industrial applications in confined spaces such as automobile factories and logistics warehouses. The US market had been the main foreign outlet for Chinese manufacturers until this restriction. The FCC will likely exempt some non-Chinese suppliers, as it did with previous drone and router restrictions.