WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has expanded its national security blacklist to include foreign-made advanced robotics and power inverters, effectively shutting Chinese companies out of the U.S. market.
The bans target “advanced robotic devices,” such as mobile robots, humanoids, and quadrupeds, the FCC said in a July 28 fact sheet.
Power inverters are devices that convert the direct current generated by solar panels into alternating current, which can then be fed into the electrical grid.
As for the reasons behind the bans, the FCC pointed to “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.”
The FCC emphasized that its action will not disrupt consumers’ continued use of devices they have already acquired, nor will it prevent retailers from selling, importing, or marketing existing FCC-approved device models. The bans apply only to new device models, the agency said.
The restriction “does not impact purchase or use by the federal government at all,” the FCC added.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency’s action to include two new categories in its Covered List aligns with President Donald Trump’s national security agenda.
“Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue to do our part to secure America’s critical supply chains and, with today’s action, the FCC is acting in lock step with our national security agencies to do just that,” Carr said in a statement.
The FCC explained that its action follows determinations by a White House-convened Executive Branch interagency body.
On the advanced robots, the determination said their network capabilities “create extensive vulnerabilities and vectors for attacks that can manipulate the data and physical operation of the advanced robotic system.”
Additionally, advanced robots “collect data that could be leveraged by malign actors to surveil Americans, enhance the capabilities of foreign intelligence services, or to remotely commandeer the robots,” it said.
On the inverters, the determination warned of their support for “remote connectivity.”
“These vulnerabilities could enable foreign firms to turn off the inverters or use them to collect and exfiltrate data, facilitate remote access and surveillance by foreign government actors, or be otherwise exploited through a cyberattack,” the determination reads.
According to an FAQ page from the FCC, an advanced robotic device is defined as one that can move, avoid obstacles, navigate, or operate on the ground; can function remotely from a human operator; weighs more than 4.4 pounds; has a sensor to perceive its environment; and features network connectivity such as Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, or satellite.
On a background call with reporters on Tuesday, a senior FCC official said that robots assembled in the United States with more than 35 percent of their components manufactured abroad are also banned.
By the technical nature of the robotic devices, they often have remote connectivity built in, the official said.
The official told The Epoch Times during the call that the agency’s action is not targeted at any specific country, though it would effectively bar device authorizations for products from China.
The FCC has discretionary authority to apply the rule retroactively, although it has not taken such an action, the official said.
In response to the FCC bans, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing would take “necessary measures” to protect Chinese companies.
The latest bans have drawn applause from Republicans in Congress.
“The FCC’s action today protects our country and strengthens our nation’s robotics industry,” Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said in a statement on July 28.
Moolenaar urged Congress to pass his bipartisan Guarding the U.S. Against Adversarial Robotics Dominance Act (H.R.9129). The legislation, introduced in June, would ban the imports of robots deemed to be a national security threat to the United States.
“It is likely that one day robotic technology will be in Americans’ homes and workplaces, and we must protect our country by keeping out Chinese robots with backdoors that share sensitive data with the [Chinese Communist Party],” Moolenaar said.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in an X post that the FCC action is “mitigating the threat of Chinese-made robots.”
His American Security Robotics Act, a bicameral legislation (H.R.8189) introduced earlier this year, would prohibit the federal government from buying and operating unmanned ground vehicle systems manufactured by foreign entities of concern.
“America can’t allow our adversaries to establish a foothold in our homes, law enforcement agencies, and broader robotics industry,” Cotton stated.
