The FCC on Tuesday added foreign-made advanced robotic devices, including humanoids, to a restricted import list citing cybersecurity concerns. China's commerce ministry responded Thursday, stating the escalating restrictions "severely damages China-U.S. economic and trade stability" and threatened countermeasures if the decision isn't withdrawn. Potential retaliation includes restricting rare earth sales and limiting market access for American firms like Tesla and NVIDIA.

The ban directly impacts Chinese humanoid leaders Agibot, Unitree, and UBTech, which held the top-three installation market shares last year, while Tesla's Optimus ranked fifth. UBTech shares fell over 6% in Thursday trading, and both Unitree and Agibot have filed for IPOs. Analyst Marc Einstein of Counterpoint Research warned the move is "bad news for Chinese humanoid producers planning their IPOs."

Tensions coincide with President Donald Trump's scheduled September meeting with Xi Jinping. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested the U.S. could sanction China over AI model "theft," though Trump indicated a more cautious approach to AI controls to maintain tech leadership. Robostore, a North American distributor of Chinese humanoids, is expanding U.S. capabilities in preparation.