Hong Kong: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, citing national security risks in a move that primarily targets China.
The measures are likely to test relations with Beijing ahead of a planned US visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet US President Donald Trump in September. China dominates the global humanoid robot market, with an estimated market share of around 85 per cent.
The FCC's ban also covers new imports of quadruped robots, commonly referred to as four-legged robot dogs. The agency said advanced robots pose cybersecurity and other national security risks, while offshore production leaves US supply chains vulnerable to disruptions.
The ban on power inverters, which convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity and are widely used in renewable energy systems, data centres and household appliances, could have wide-ranging implications.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said on Tuesday that the move was intended to "secure America's critical supply chains". He said the restrictions apply to "new versions" of such imports.
The FCC's latest action follows a series of US restrictions on Chinese imports, including drones, and tighter controls on exports of advanced US technology to China.
The US is also considering controls on the use of Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models as Chinese AI continues to gain ground globally.
"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 specialising in Chinese technology policy.
China has rapidly expanded the use of robotics through policies supporting its technology sector. Morgan Stanley analysts forecast that the country's humanoid robot market could reach 15 billion US dollars by 2030.
"Chinese manufacturers have been scaling production and reducing costs faster than most overseas competitors," said Kangyuxiao Li, an analyst at Morningstar.
"Restricting their access to the US removes an important future market and protects US developers from potential price competition. 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," Li said.
Of the approximately 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, China's Unitree and AGIBOT each shipped more than 5,000 units. Their US counterparts, including Tesla and Figure AI, each shipped only a few hundred or fewer, according to technology research and advisory firm Omdia.
China's Foreign Ministry criticised the US decision, accusing Washington of overstretching the concept of national security to suppress Chinese companies.
Beijing said it would take "all measures necessary" to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses.
"Protectionism does not make the US more competitive, and it will only hurt the interests of US companies and consumers," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters during a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.
Analysts said the new restrictions could also affect collaborations between US and Chinese technology companies.
NVIDIA, for example, unveiled a humanoid robot reference design in June that uses the humanoid chassis developed by China's Unitree.
The Pentagon has recently added Unitree and several other major Chinese technology companies to its list of firms it says have ties to or support the Chinese military. Beijing has rejected those allegations.