美国FCC禁止进口新型外国制造人形机器人、四足机器人和联网电力逆变器，矛头指向中国供应链

US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targeting China over national security
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A worker reacts near a line of humanoid robots displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A variety of robots are displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A humanoid robot waves Chinese national flags at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
By
CHAN HO-HIM
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HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is banning imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, citing national security risks, in a move that targets China.
The measures are likely to
test relations
with Beijing ahead of a planned
U.S. visit
by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in September. China dominates the global market for
humanoid robots
with an estimated market share of roughly 85%.
The FCC’s ban also includes new imports of quadruped robots – often referred to as four-legged robot dogs. The agency said imports of advanced robots pose cybersecurity and other national security risks. Offshore production of such equipment also leaves U.S. supply chains vulnerable to disruptions.
The ban on power inverters, which are used to convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity and are used in renewable energy systems, data centers and household appliances, could have sweeping ramifications.
FCC chairperson Brendan Carr said Tuesday that the move was to “secure America’s critical supply chains.” He said the bans apply to “new versions” of such imports.
The FCC’s bans follow a slew of U.S. restrictions on imports of Chinese products, including
drones
, and on exports of U.S. advanced technology to China.
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The U.S. is also weighing controls on use of Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models at a time when
Chinese AI is rapidly gaining ground
.
“It’s a steady drumbeat of potential flashpoints heading into (the) Trump-Xi summit planned for September,” said Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at the New America think tank focused on Chinese technology policies.
China has been rapidly expanding use of robots, with policies supporting its technology sector. Morgan Stanley analysts forecast its market for humanoids could reach $15 billion by 2030.
“Chinese manufacturers have been scaling production and reducing costs faster than most overseas competitors,” said analyst Kangyuxiao Li at Morningstar.
“Restricting their access to the U.S. removes an important future market and protects U.S. developers from potential price competition,” he said. “However, it will not materially slow China’s overall humanoid development, given the size of its domestic manufacturing base and opportunities in other export markets.”
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Of the around 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, Unitree and AGIBOT, two of China’s largest advanced robotics companies, each shipped more than 5,000. Their U.S. counterparts, like Tesla and Figure AI, each shipped a few hundred or less, according to the technology research and advisory group Omdia.
China’s Foreign Ministry hit back at the U.S. move, accusing Washington of overstretching the concept of national security to suppress Chinese companies.
China will take “all measures necessary” to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses, it said.
“Protectionism does not make the U.S. more competitive, and it will only hurt the interests of U.S. companies and consumers,” Mao Ning, a ministry spokesperson, told reporters at a regular press conference Wednesday in Beijing.
The new bans could also potentially interfere with collaborations between U.S. and Chinese technology companies, said Lian Jye Su, a chief analyst at Omdia.
Nvidia, for example, in June
revealed
a humanoid robot reference design which uses the humanoid chassis of China’s Unitree.
The Pentagon recently included Unitree and
several other major Chinese technology companies
on its list of firms that it said have ties to or aid the Chinese military. Beijing has rejected that claim.
Chan writes about business and economy in China for The Associated Press, reporting on key sectors of the world’s second-largest economy from trade and technology to autos. He is based in Hong Kong.
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