The U.S. government’s recent efforts to restrict Chinese involvement in the American robotics industry may be undermining its own goals, according to an internal review by the Association for Advancing Automation. The review found that 28 of 31 research papers led by U.S. universities on humanoid or quadruped robots utilized products from China’s Unitree Robotics, highlighting deep integration between the two countries’ innovation systems.
This interdependence presents a challenge to Washington’s push for “decoupling” from China in high-tech sectors. In late August, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its “Covered List” to classify “advanced robotic devices” produced abroad, requiring that robots assembled in the U.S. contain at least 65% domestic components by value starting in 2028, increasing to 75% in 2029. However, China remains a critical player throughout the global robotics supply chain, producing key components such as sensors, motors, batteries, actuators, lidars, and motor controllers. Actuators alone, which influence robotic movement, can represent 40 to 60 percent of hardware material costs.
Critics argue that the FCC’s mandates lack the necessary industrial foundation to be achievable, potentially placing burdens on U.S. laboratories, startups, and consumers. Experts note that specialization and global division of labor have traditionally enhanced productivity by allowing components to be manufactured where efficiency is highest. The current U.S. policy direction reverses this approach by attempting to reduce international collaboration, a move some analysts view as risking both innovation and economic efficiency.
Further heightening tensions, the White House recently declared a national emergency that could restrict imports of foreign power grid equipment, potentially forcing utilities to replace existing infrastructure. These sorts of regulatory measures increase compliance costs, supplier audits, certification requirements, and legal uncertainties—factors that can disproportionately impact robotics and artificial intelligence companies engaged in capital-intensive research and development.
Industry observers caution that if restrictions rely heavily on executive actions subject to reversal by future administrations, companies may hesitate to make the long-term investments needed for domestic innovation. Consistent and predictable industrial policies are considered necessary to foster growth and technological leadership.
Prominent voices, such as Bill Gates, have underscored the importance of U.S.-China cooperation on artificial intelligence governance, warning that competitive pressures could undermine collaboration at a critical time for the technology. Gates also highlighted that much advanced robotics research is currently underway in China, a reality that some U.S. policymakers may not have fully acknowledged.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during discussions with U.S. Ambassador to China David Price, urged focusing on a constructive agenda, managing differences, and removing barriers to high-level exchanges following recent U.S. threats to impose an additional tariff on Chinese goods. He emphasized the need for cooperation amid contentious trade and technology disputes.
As the U.S. tightens restrictions on Chinese involvement in high-tech sectors, some analysts warn that treating competition as a security threat risks replacing national strength with isolation. They argue that true technological leadership arises from companies winning on merit rather than through administrative exclusion of competitors.