China threatens retaliation over US import ban on robots, power inverters
BEIJING: China will “resolutely retaliate” and safeguard its interests if the United States insists on acting unilaterally over an import ban on new Chinese robots and power inverters, the commerce ministry said on Thursday.
The ministry urged the United States to immediately withdraw the measures and stop its “erroneous actions,” saying they discriminate against and suppress Chinese companies and products.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released measures on Tuesday, seeking to protect the US AI buildout from national security threats and reshore key industries slated for explosive growth.
China said the FCC had ignored Beijing’s repeated representations and continued to intensify its restrictive measures.
The ministry accused the US of generalizing the concept of national security, calling it “market distortion and unilateral bullying behavior” that ignored the interests of Chinese and American industries.
The FCC’s ban also includes new imports of quadruped robots, often referred to as four-legged robot dogs. The agency said imports of advanced robots pose cybersecurity and other national security risks. Offshore production of such equipment also leaves US supply chains vulnerable to disruptions.
The ban on power inverters, which are used to convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity and are used in renewable energy systems, data centers and household appliances, could have sweeping ramifications.
