US restrictions on Chinese robots and inverters self-defeating and destabilizing

By stretching the concept of "national security" far beyond its legitimate scope, Washington is replacing market competition with administrative intervention, disrupting normal commercial exchanges and accelerating unnecessary supply-chain fragmentation. Such unilateral actions distort markets and benefit neither China nor the United States.

In another act of technological protectionism, the US Federal Communications Commission has expanded its so-called "Covered List" to include foreign-made advanced robotic devices and connected power inverters, effective from Tuesday. Although the announcement did not explicitly mention China, the move is widely seen as an attempt to exclude Chinese products from the US market.

Over recent years, the FCC has successively restricted Chinese telecommunications equipment, surveillance cameras, routers, drones, and now robotics and power inverters, all under the broad banner of "national security".

The US administration claims that advanced mobile robots, including humanoids and quadrupeds, could enable surveillance, support foreign intelligence operations, or be remotely commandeered. It similarly claims that connected power inverters pose risks of cyberattacks data theft, and unauthorized access to critical infrastructure.

Such allegations remain unsupported by credible evidence. Tellingly, while claiming such devices "pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons" the curbs do "not impact purchase or use by the federal government at all".

The FCC decision follows another restrictive measure announced less than a week earlier. On July 23, the US Department of Defense updated its "Section 1286 List", adding 130 academic and research institutions in China, Russia and Iran in an effort to curb technology transfers. Together, the two actions target both ends of the innovation chain — restricting scientific cooperation while blocking commercial access to the US market.

This approach undermines the hard-won stability of China-US economic relations, disrupts global industry and supply chains, and weakens confidence in international trade. The resulting uncertainty raises costs for businesses worldwide while encouraging the fragmentation of technology governance. Rather than strengthening the global economy, such measures deepen instability and erode the predictable rules on which innovation and investment depend.

The US restrictions are also likely to backfire on the US itself. Humanoid robotics remains an emerging industry in which competition and collaboration are essential to technological progress. Isolating the US market from leading international competitors deprives US companies of opportunities to benchmark products, improve performance and accelerate innovation.

Counterpoint Research estimates that around 16,000 humanoid robots were deployed globally in 2025, with China accounting for more than 80 percent of installations. Four of the world's five largest suppliers are Chinese. Restricting access to these products may have only limited impact on Chinese manufacturers, while reducing the choices for US businesses and consumers.

The same logic applies to power inverters. Domestic manufacturing remains insufficient to meet US demand. An Idaho National Laboratory analysis found that roughly 80 percent of solar inverters installed in the US are imported, including many from China. Excluding competitive Chinese products is likely to increase costs, complicate the energy transition and ultimately burden consumers.

The FCC's latest action reflects the US' anxiety over China's technological progress rather than a coherent strategy for sustaining US competitiveness, which requires openness and fair competition to spur innovation — not administrative barriers that shield domestic industries from global rivals.

China has consistently promoted international cooperation in emerging technologies, encouraged open-source AI development and supported broader access to technological advances. It will firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. On Thursday, China's Ministry of Commerce called on Washington to immediately revoke the ban or face countermeasures.

The broader international community also has a stake in resisting unilateral restrictions that threaten the stability of the global trading system.

Protectionism will not make the US more competitive. It will only increase costs for US businesses and consumers while further disrupting global supply chains.