Washington's robot ban misses the bigger picture

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, China's lead person for China-U.S. economic and trade affairs, held a video call Thursday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The two sides had candid exchanges on a range of economic and trade issues.

In particular, the Chinese side expressed serious concern over the economic and trade restrictions recently imposed by the United States on China. On Tuesday, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to add foreign-made power inverters and advanced robotic devices to its "Covered List," a move that would prevent new products in those categories from obtaining FCC authorization and entering the U.S. market.

Washington's official justification for these blatant trade restrictions remains the same tired excuse: "national security risks." This pretext, invoked again and again to erect thick walls against other economies, fools no one. What does the U.S. government truly seek through its trade policies? The answer is as clear as ever: to curb China's high-tech development in a desperate bid to maintain American technological hegemony.

According to global technology market research firm Counterpoint Research, Chinese companies AgiBot, Unitree and UBTech took the top three positions in global humanoid robot installations last year, while Tesla's Optimus ranked fifth. Washington's playbook is simple: whenever the U.S. lacks absolute dominance in a specific domain, it instinctively resorts to heavy-handed restrictions, from import bans and exorbitant tariffs to draconian regulatory reviews.

This pattern is all too familiar. In December 2025, the FCC barred imports of all new models of foreign-made drones and critical components, targeting Chinese giant DJI under the standard pretext of "unacceptable national security risks." That followed the U.S. Department of Defense arbitrarily labeling DJI a "military company" in 2022, ignoring the company's protests and legal challenges.

Yet what actually happened after Washington issued these trade bans? The Special Competitive Studies Project, a think tank focusing on emerging technologies and global competitiveness, reported in 2025 that China maintains a substantial lead in the global commercial drone market, with industry leader DJI holding more than 90 percent of the global consumer market and nearly 70 percent of the overall drone sector. That dominance is driven mainly by DJI's scale, competitive pricing and advanced features.

Whether American trade restrictions against Chinese tech firms can achieve their goal of smothering China's innovation is no longer an open question. It is fundamentally impossible to block China's technological ascent through protectionist measures.

First, the Chinese government prioritizes technological innovation as a national development imperative, embodied in its commitment to developing new quality productive forces. This sustained commitment has yielded a surge of breakthrough achievements and robust, complete industrial and supply chains. Robotics pioneers such as AgiBot and Unitree have made critical strides in end-to-end operations across complex terrain, dexterous tactile perception and high-dynamic control algorithms.

Second, the U.S. market is by no means the sole avenue for Chinese tech firms seeking overseas expansion. While U.S. protectionism may temporarily reduce Chinese firms' share in the American market, these companies have already built extensive global sales networks. Given the established competitiveness of Chinese high-tech products, Washington's restrictions will only compel Chinese firms to pivot toward other vibrant markets, particularly across the Global South, where immense commercial opportunities await.

In reality, vast potential exists for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the U.S. in cutting-edge technology. Instead of resorting to confrontation and trade barriers, both nations should complement each other's strengths and integrate their supply chains for win-win outcomes.

The correct path forward has always been clear. As an increasing number of nations come to recognize and respect China's technological edge, Washington must realize that trade restrictions will only close its own window to global cooperation. They will not ease America's anxiety over losing its edge in an era of innovation.