Beijing's commerce ministry urged Washington to withdraw the FCC decision, which cites cybersecurity risks to U.S. supply chains
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China's commerce ministry threatened retaliation Thursday over a U.S. Federal Communications Commission decision to ban imports of foreign-made humanoid and other advanced robots, saying the restrictions damage bilateral economic and trade stability.
The ministry said the FCC has ignored Beijing's restrained stance on product bans and urged Washington to withdraw the decision. It threatened countermeasures if the U.S. failed to do so, according to CNBC.
The FCC added foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots to its Covered List on Tuesday, citing national security risks. The agency said the restrictions apply to new device models only and do not affect robots already purchased or previously authorized. An interagency body convened by the White House had determined that foreign-produced advanced robotic devices pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security, finding that connected robots could be used to monitor Americans, extend the reach of foreign intelligence services, or allow bad actors to seize direct control of the devices. The determination also cited risks from dependence on overseas manufacturing.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the move was intended to "secure America's critical supply chains." Producers of advanced robotic devices can apply for a conditional approval exemption from the Department of War to continue receiving FCC equipment authorization.
China holds roughly 85% of the global humanoid robot market, according to the Associated Press. Chinese firms Unitree and AGIBOT each shipped more than 5,000 humanoid units in 2025, while U.S. rivals including Tesla $TSLA and Figure AI shipped a few hundred units apiece, according to CNBC, citing research firm Omdia.
UBTech stock fell more than 6% in Hong Kong trading Thursday morning. Unitree and Agibot have filed to go public.
China's Foreign Ministry had already pushed back against the restrictions on Wednesday. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning pledged that China would take "all measures necessary" to defend the interests of Chinese businesses and said the ban would hurt U.S. companies and consumers.
The commerce ministry issued its statement with a Trump-Xi summit on the calendar for September. Separately, Trump signaled Thursday that Washington could ease AI export restrictions as a way of keeping the United States ahead of China in the technology race.
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