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TechChina Commerce Ministry threatens retaliation against US humanoid robot ban
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China's Commerce Ministry threatened retaliation against the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's decision to restrict imports of foreign-made humanoid robots due to cybersecurity risks. The ministry called for the withdrawal of the FCC statement, warning that the move 'severely damages' bilateral economic and trade stability. The FCC added advanced robotic devices, including humanoids, to a restricted import list without specifying a country. Chinese companies Agibot, Unitree, and UBTech dominate the humanoid market, with Tesla's Optimus ranking fifth. The dispute comes ahead of a scheduled meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in September. Analysts suggest China could retaliate by restricting rare earth sales or limiting market access for American companies like Tesla and NVIDIA. Hong Kong-listed UBTech shares fell over 6% following the announcement.
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A humanoid robot from Robostore joins CNBC's Power Lunch on Dec. 30, 2025.
BEIJING — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has repeatedly ignored Beijing's restrained stance on product bans, China's commerce ministry said Thursday, threatening retaliation.
U.S. Restriction on Humanoid Robots
The FCC on Tuesday said it added foreign-made advanced robotic devices, including humanoids, to a list restricting imports to the U.S., citing cybersecurity concerns. The statement did not specify a country and noted that retailers could still import models the FCC has previously approved.
China's Response
As the FCC keeps escalating restrictions on Chinese goods, it "severely damages China-U.S. economic and trade stability," China's commerce ministry said in an online statement Thursday, according to a CNBC translation of Mandarin.
The ministry urged the U.S. to withdraw the decision and threatened countermeasures if it failed to do so.
Industry Impact
"This is bad news for Chinese humanoid producers planning their IPOs in the coming months," said Marc Einstein, a research director at Counterpoint Research. "The two major cards China can play are to further restrict rare earth sales to American companies and further restricting Chinese market access for American companies like Tesla and NVIDIA."
Broader Geopolitical Context
The commerce ministry's statement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to host Chinese President Xi Jinping in September. Tensions over the tech race have meanwhile intensified, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying the U.S. could sanction China over AI model "theft."
Trump on Thursday indicated in public comments that the U.S. might take a more cautious stance on AI controls in order to maintain American tech leadership over China.
Market Share and Stock Impact
Chinese companies Agibot, Unitree and UBTech accounted for the top-three humanoid companies by installation market share last year, according to Counterpoint. Tesla's Optimus ranked fifth.
Hong Kong-listed UBTech shares briefly fell more than 6% in Thursday morning trading. Unitree and Agibot have filed to go public.
Industry Response
Robostore, a distributor of Chinese humanoid robots in North America, has been preparing by expanding its U.S.-based capabilities, CEO Teddy Haggerty said in a statement to CNBC. He did not elaborate on details.
—CNBC's Matthew Tan contributed to this report.
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China threatens retaliation against U.S. humanoid robot ban, says it 'severely damages' relations