The Federal Communications Commission has voted to ban new imports of foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots and power inverters, citing national security and cybersecurity concerns in the latest U.S. effort to curb Chinese technology entering the country.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the restrictions are intended to "secure America's critical supply chains" and apply to new versions of the affected products. The agency said dependence on offshore manufacturing for advanced robotics and power inverters leaves U.S. infrastructure and supply chains vulnerable to disruption.
The move, reported by The Associated Press, comes as Washington continues to tighten restrictions on Chinese technology across multiple sectors, even as President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping are expected to meet in September.
China currently accounts for an estimated 85% of the global humanoid robot market, with companies including Unitree and AGIBOT shipping more than 5,000 units each in 2025, compared with only a few hundred by U.S. competitors such as Tesla and Figure AI.
China condemned the decision, accusing Washington of using national security as a pretext to suppress Chinese companies. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China would take "all measures necessary" to protect its businesses, adding that "protectionism does not make the U.S. more competitive, and it will only hurt the interests of U.S. companies and consumers."
The FCC's action follows a series of restrictions on Chinese technology. In December, the agency banned new foreign-made drones after concluding they posed "unacceptable risks" to U.S. national security, extending the prohibition beyond Chinese manufacturers DJI and Autel to cover all foreign-made drones and critical components unless exempted by federal authorities.
The scrutiny is also extending to artificial intelligence. Axios reported this month that Trump administration officials have explored restricting access to advanced Chinese AI models, including whether to place some Chinese AI labs on the Commerce Department's Entity List, which would require U.S. companies to obtain government licenses before doing business with them.
The latest measures come as geopolitical competition with China extends beyond trade. A Pew Research Center survey released this week found that, for the first time since it began tracking public opinion, both Canada and Mexico now view China more favorably than the United States, reflecting broader shifts in global perceptions of the world's two largest economies.
