Chinese humanoid robots face US security restrictions

On July 28, 2026, the FCC added foreign-produced advanced robotic devices — humanoids and quadrupeds among them — to its Covered List, alongside connected power inverters, citing national security concerns around cybersecurity, supply chains and defence. The action does not name China. It bars new models from obtaining the equipment authorization required to be imported, marketed or sold in the US, and it applies to any device that misses a US domestic content threshold.

The determinations behind the listing frame the risk as connected robotic platforms entering homes, businesses and potentially sensitive facilities. A humanoid robot typically combines cameras, sensors, wireless connectivity and onboard computing with the ability to move through human designed spaces — which is close to what the rule codifies, since a covered device is defined by environmental sensors, network connectivity of at least 200 kbps and autonomous navigation software. That makes it a different risk profile from a conventional connected device, especially where physical access and data collection overlap.

China’s scale is the strategic concern

Electropages says estimates put Chinese companies at around 85 percent of global humanoid robot deployments, and says some Chinese manufacturers have already shipped thousands of units. The source does not name the manufacturers behind those figures, so the deployment share should be treated as an attributed estimate rather than a settled market count.

The broader argument is straightforward: China has paired government support, lower manufacturing costs and fast production scaling with an increasingly capable humanoid sector. While the US and Japan have long histories in robotics development, the report says Chinese companies have been faster at turning observed research and engineering practice into functional platforms at volume.

That assessment is blunt, and it leaves out important detail. The article does not identify affected robot models, list the exact rule language, or specify when the restrictions will take effect. For operators and robotics suppliers, those are the details that will determine whether the policy becomes a narrow procurement barrier or a wider constraint on systems, components and integrations.

Cybersecurity moves into humanoid procurement

The FCC action fits the source’s description of a wider technology contest between the US and China, including restrictions on advanced processors, drones and possible controls on Chinese developed AI systems. Humanoid robots add a physical layer to that contest. They are not only networked endpoints, but mobile platforms that can see, map, manipulate and interact inside facilities.

The report also points to a supply chain complication for Western robotics companies. Some developments outside China may rely on Chinese components or designs, so restrictions could affect companies that are not Chinese but still depend on Chinese manufacturing inputs. That is a practical issue for humanoid programs trying to scale hardware, where actuators, sensors, batteries, embedded compute and contract manufacturing choices can be as important as control software.

The source argues that restrictions could give Western companies time to build market positions and domestic supply chains before Chinese manufacturers dominate more of the sector. That is an editorial claim rather than a demonstrated outcome. China’s domestic market and export options mean US controls are unlikely to stop Chinese humanoid development, but they could change which platforms are allowed into sensitive US environments and how buyers evaluate connected humanoid systems.

Source: FCC Fact Sheet · Wiley · National Law Review