JAKARTA - The United States is again putting pressure on Chinese technology products. This time the target is humanoid robots, four-legged robots, and power inverters. The reason is national security. China immediately accused Washington of protectionism.
Kyodo News, quoted Thursday, July 30, reported that the US Federal Communications Commission or FCC banned new imports of humanoid robots and foreign-made power inverters. The policy is said to target China, which now dominates the world's humanoid robot market.
A humanoid robot is a robot whose shape and movement are made to resemble a human. Meanwhile, four-legged robots are commonly known as robot dogs.
The FCC said imports of advanced robots could carry cyber security risks and other national security risks. The production of the device abroad is also considered to make the US supply chain vulnerable to disruption.
The ban comes ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit to the US to meet President Donald Trump in September. The policy has the potential to add a new list of frictions between Washington and Beijing.
China is estimated to control about 85 percent of the global humanoid robot market. With such a position, US restrictions can reduce Chinese manufacturers' access to one of the most important markets in the future.
The ban also covers power inverters. These devices are used to convert direct current or DC electricity into alternating current or AC electricity. Inverters are used in renewable energy systems, data centers, and household appliances.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the move was aimed at "securing America's critical supply chains". He said the ban applied to "new versions" of the imported products.
Kyodo News noted that the FCC's policy extended the US restrictions on Chinese products. Previously, Washington also restricted the import of Chinese drones and the export of US advanced technology to Beijing.
The US is also considering restrictions on the use of Chinese open source artificial intelligence models. Open source AI models are models whose components or code can be accessed and developed more broadly by the community or company.
This move comes as China's AI is said to be catching up with US players.
"It's like a constant drumbeat of potential flashpoints ahead of the planned Trump-Xi summit in September," said Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at New America who focuses on China's technology policy.
China itself is expanding the use of robots with government policy support for the technology sector. Morgan Stanley analysts estimate that China's humanoid robot market could reach 15 billion US dollars by 2030.
"Chinese manufacturers have increased production and reduced costs faster than most foreign competitors," said Morningstar analyst Kangyuxiao Li.
According to Li, restrictions on access to the US market eliminate an important future market for Chinese manufacturers. The policy also protects US developers from potential price competition.
"However, this step will not materially slow down China's overall humanoid development, given the size of China's domestic manufacturing base and opportunities in other export markets," he said.
Omdia data shows that of the approximately 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally by 2025, Unitree and AGIBOT each shipped more than 5,000 units. Both are among China's largest advanced robotics companies.
For comparison, US companies such as Tesla and Figure AI each sent a few hundred units or less.
For power inverters, Morningstar analyst Cheng Wang assessed that pressure on the US market should be limited. The ban does not seem to have an impact on the use of existing devices or the sale of Chinese models that have previously been approved by the US.
Beijing condemned Washington's move. The Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the US of overbroadening the concept of national security to suppress Chinese companies.
China said it would take "all necessary measures" to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.
"Protectionism does not make the US more competitive, and it will only harm the interests of US companies and consumers," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a regular press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
The new ban could also disrupt cooperation between US and Chinese technology companies, said Omdia's chief analyst, Lian Jye Su.
Nvidia, for example, in June introduced a reference design for a humanoid robot that uses a humanoid skeleton made by Unitree from China.
The Pentagon recently added Unitree and several other major Chinese technology companies to a list of companies it said have ties to or assist the Chinese military. Beijing denies the allegations.
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