Chinese robots under fire as US lawmakers propose import ban
Washington DC, June 5
A group of bipartisan US lawmakers has introduced the Guarding the US Against Adversarial Robotics Dominance Act, a bill that would subject robots made by China and other foreign adversaries to national security reviews and potentially ban their import into the United States, the US House Select Committee on China has said.
The legislation was introduced by Representative John Moolenaar, who chairs the House Select Committee on China, along with Representatives Jay Obernolte and Jennifer McClellan. Moolenaar said Chinese-made robots pose risks to US national security, critical infrastructure and American workers. He alleged that such systems could contain vulnerabilities that may be exploited for espionage and warned against allowing Chinese robotics technology to become deeply embedded across the country, according to the press release.
As per a press release, the US House Select Committee on China further said that Moolenaar accused Chinese robotics firms, including Unitree Robotics, of benefiting from substantial state subsidies that enable them to sell products at artificially low prices. He argued that this could undermine US robotics manufacturers, increase dependence on Chinese technology and strengthen companies with reported ties to China's military sector.
Obernolte stressed that as robotics becomes increasingly integrated into the US economy, the communications equipment and services powering these systems must remain secure and protected from potential exploitation by foreign adversaries. The GUARD Act, he said, would help safeguard national security while supporting domestic robotics innovation, the press release noted.
McClellan said the United States must remain vigilant against evolving threats from countries such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. She argued that communications equipment and services that could pose security risks should be kept out of homes, offices and public spaces.
Under the proposed legislation, US national security agencies would be required to assess humanoid and quadruped robots produced by foreign adversaries. The US House Select Committee on China said robots found to present unacceptable risks would be added to the Federal Communications Commission's Covered List, effectively barring them from the US market. Products not reviewed within one year would automatically be placed on the list.
The press release also recalled that Moolenaar and other members of the committee previously sent a bipartisan letter to US administration officials warning about potential national security concerns related to Unitree. The lawmakers called for the company to be considered for inclusion on the Pentagon's Chinese military companies list, the Department of Commerce's Entity List and the FCC Covered List.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian living in the US, I've seen how quickly Chinese tech has penetrated every sector here. While I understand the national security angle, this feels like protectionism dressed up as security. India should also have similar safeguards for our critical infrastructure though. Atal Tinkering Labs and startups need to fill this gap before it's too late!
It's about time someone in Washington took Chinese tech threats seriously. Unitree robots are impressive but we've seen what happens when we become dependent on adversarial tech - just look at Huawei. This GUARD Act could protect American jobs and innovation too.
From a business perspective, this is a double-edged sword. Chinese robots are cheap and effective - many Indian startups use Unitree for R&D. But yes, data security concerns are valid. We need Make in India robotics to compete globally. Otherwise we'll be caught between US and China trade wars 🇮🇳
Missing the forest for the trees here. Chinese robots are already everywhere - in Amazon warehouses, cleaning our streets, even in hospitals. This bill should have come years ago. But I'm skeptical it'll pass given corporate interests. Consumers just want affordable tech, security concerns be damned 😕
Typical American hypocrisy - they sell weapons to everyone but cry when someone else makes better tech. China's robotics are cheaper because of economies of scale, not just subsidies. India should focus on our software advantage and build smart robots instead. We have the IIT talent but lack manufacturing vision.
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