The Federal Communications Commission has banned humanoid robots from China, citing unacceptable risks to national security. This move targets advanced robotic devices that could be exploited for surveillance or intelligence purposes.
The ban is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to restrict Chinese technology imports and promote domestic manufacturing of critical technologies. The FCC also restricted connected power inverters used in renewable energy systems.
The Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on humanoid robots from China on Tuesday, saying that the technology poses “unacceptable risks” to the country’s national security. The move comes as the Trump administration has increasingly sought to keep Chinese technology out of the US.
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The FCC defines the banned robots as “advanced robotic devices”, which include humanoids and animal-like quadrupeds.
“Advanced robotic devices collect data that could be leveraged by malign actors to surveil Americans, enhance the capabilities of foreign intelligence services, or to remotely commandeer the robots,” FCC officials wrote in their determination of the threat posed by robots.
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In addition to the humanoid robots, the FCC also barred connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources and batteries to connect to grids and datacenter equipment.
The restrictions point to the Trump administration’s goal of elevating technology made in the US, along with driving firms to shift manufacturing to be done locally.
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“The president has made clear that the United States must have independent and secure supply chains for critical and emerging technologies like robotic devices and power inverters,” an administration official, who declined to be named, told Reuters.
“Economic security is national security, and the Trump administration continues to implement a nuanced and multi-faceted policy agenda to reindustrialize America,” he added.
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China’s embassy in Washington said Beijing “urges the United States to heed the objective and rational voices of the business communities in both countries” and “stop smearing Chinese companies and threatening them with sanctions”.
China’s government will “take all necessary measures in response to any action that causes material harm to its interests,” the embassy said.
Chinese newspaper the Global Times quoted Xiang Ligang, from the Zhongguancun Information Consumption Alliance, as saying: “The series of moves by the United States reflects a deep sense of anxiety.
“The US knows that its former technological advantage is rapidly eroding, but remains determined to preserve its position as the world’s leading technological power. It has abandoned rational calculation, lashed out indiscriminately and introduced a range of irrational restrictions.”
The restrictions apply only to robot and inverter models that have not yet been released. However, the FCC has the authority to revoke authorizations for sales of models that have already been authorized for purchase in the US.
Humanoid robots, topped with AI-enabled “brains”, are forecast by some analysts for broad adoption in consumer and industrial arenas, while explosive datacenter construction in the US will depend on reliable sources of inverters.
China is the world’s largest maker of inverters, led by Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei, which are already heavily sanctioned by the US.
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