The Chinese Ministry of Commerce threatened retaliatory measures against the United States, denouncing that the new American import ban on humanoid robots "severely damages" economic and trade relations between the two countries and opens a new front in the Washington - Beijing tech war. This development comes during a period of sharp escalation in competition over artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced automation systems.
The FCC decision on humanoid robots
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Tuesday that, citing cybersecurity risks, it is adding advanced foreign-made robotic devices, including humanoid robots, to a list of products whose imports are restricted into the United States. The announcement does not name a specific country, but clarifies that retailers will be able to continue importing models already approved by the FCC.
Beijing speaks of "severe damage" to bilateral relations
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated on Thursday that the FCC "repeatedly ignores Beijing's restrained stance" toward product bans and urged Washington to immediately withdraw the decision. According to the statement, the ongoing tightening of restrictions on Chinese products "severely damages the stability of China - US economic and trade relations." The ministry warned that, unless the United States rescinds the measure, China will proceed with retaliatory countermeasures.
Blow to Chinese robotics companies ahead of stock market IPOs
According to CNBC, Marc Einstein, research director at Counterpoint Research, estimated that the decision represents a negative development for Chinese humanoid robot companies planning initial public offerings (IPOs) in the coming months. As he noted, the key weapons available to Beijing are further tightening restrictions on rare earth exports to US companies and making access harder for American conglomerates, such as Tesla and NVIDIA, into the Chinese market.
The shadow of the Trump - Xi Jinping meeting
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce statement was released as US President Donald Trump is expected to host President of China Xi Jinping in September. At the same time, tensions surrounding the technology race have heightened following statements by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who noted that the US could impose sanctions on China for the "theft" of AI models. Donald Trump, however, hinted that Washington might adopt a more cautious stance on AI controls, in order to maintain the technological lead of the United States over China.
The Chinese key players in the humanoid market
According to Counterpoint, Agibot, Unitree, and UBTech held the top three spots worldwide last year in installed base for humanoid robots. Tesla's Optimus landed in fifth place. Shares of UBTech, which is listed in Hong Kong, temporarily dropped by more than 6% in Thursday's trading, while Unitree and Agibot have already filed applications for stock market listings.
Preparations in the US
Robostore, a distributor of Chinese humanoid robots in North America, announced that it is preparing for the new environment by strengthening its capabilities in the United States. Chief Executive Officer Teddy Haggerty told CNBC that the company is expanding its US operations, without offering further details. The case demonstrates that US - China competition is no longer confined to semiconductors and AI, but is dynamically expanding into the humanoid robotics market, a sector many view as critical for the next industrial revolution.
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