Beijing Decries 'Unilateral Bullying' Over FCC Robot and Inverter Ban

In an August 5, 2026 commentary published under the byline Zhong Sheng—a pseudonym used to convey Beijing's official views on foreign policy—People's Daily made several specific accusations :

• Discriminatory Suppression: The measures are "discriminatory suppression aimed at Chinese firms and products" disguised under the banners of "non-discrimination" and "national security" .
• Unilateral Bullying: The US is engaging in "unilateral bullying that blatantly distorts market-economy rules and principles of fair competition" .
• Harm to Relations: The action "runs counter to the current momentum of stabilisation and improvement in China-US relations" .
• Industrial Containment: By extending its regulatory reach into green energy and advanced smart manufacturing, Washington's intent is "laid bare" as industrial containment .
• Threat of Countermeasures: China will take "resolute countermeasures" if the US persists .

A second People's Daily article on July 31—republished from the Global Times—argued that the FCC's approach amounts to "narrow-minded closed-door development" and that restricting robot imports will slow US technical iteration while failing to halt China's progress . The Ministry of Commerce also weighed in on July 30, calling the FCC's move "discriminatory" and a "typical act of market distortion and unilateral bullying" .

The Evidence Cited About Chinese Market Share

To support its accusations, People's Daily cited specific market data from independent research firms and US government commissions :

• Power Inverters: Around one-third of all power inverters imported into the United States in 2024 came directly from China, according to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission . This is consistent with broader industry data showing that Chinese firms like Huawei and Sungrow dominate the global market, with nine of the top ten PV inverter vendors headquartered in China .
• Advanced Robotics (General): Chinese vendors accounted for more than 80% of the more than 13,000 robots shipped worldwide in 2025, according to estimates by technology research firm Omdia. Major players include AgiBot, Unitree Robotics, UBTech, and Leju Robotics .
• Humanoid Robots Specifically: Chinese companies accounted for roughly 90% of global humanoid robot shipments in 2025, with the US serving as the largest export destination .

The Broader Timeline of US Restrictions on Chinese Technology

People's Daily explicitly contextualized the 2026 expansion within the FCC's broader, accelerating pattern of restrictions since 2021 :

• 2021: The FCC initially targeted Chinese telecommunications and video-surveillance equipment, placing companies like Huawei and ZTE on the Covered List .
• Subsequent Expansions (2022-2025): The FCC broadened the Covered List to include drones, routers, and testing labs . In December 2025, the Commission added foreign-produced uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS critical components .
• March 2026: The FCC added foreign-produced routers to the list .
• July 28, 2026: The FCC added foreign-produced power inverters and advanced robotic devices (humanoids, quadrupeds) . This was the third origin-based expansion of the Covered List to an entire product category in less than eight months .
• August 2026 (in development): The FCC is reportedly drafting an order to ban Chinese-made data center components and optical transceivers, which People's Daily framed as a further escalation threatening a fragile US-China trade truce .

The newspaper described the cumulative effect as a systematic "effort to suppress Chinese technology and contain the country's industrial development" across multiple sectors—from telecommunications and surveillance to drones, power inverters, robotics, and now potentially data center infrastructure .