A recent robot performance during China’s CCTV Spring Festival Gala drew widespread international attention. In an op-ed published in The Wire China, DSET Global Fellow Sunny Cheung and Policy Analyst of Economic Security Program Nathanael Cheng argue that China is systematically advancing its robotics industry through state-driven coordination and gradually transforming these capabilities into potential military assets. They call on the United States to urgently establish a national robotics strategy and to work with allies such as Taiwan to build a “non-red supply chain” in response to China’s rise.

In the article, titled “Why Washington Needs a Robotics Strategy,” the authors contend that global competition in artificial intelligence has shifted from a focus on models and algorithms to real-world robotics applications. The key question is no longer who possesses the most powerful large language models, but who can translate AI into scalable productive capacity, operational capability, and ultimately military advantage.

The op-ed notes that China has incorporated “embodied intelligence”—the integration of AI and robotics—into the core priorities of its forthcoming 15th Five-Year Plan. Local governments in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou are offering subsidies, tax incentives, and pilot zone policies to encourage robotics deployment. In some areas, preferential electricity pricing and land-use arrangements are tied directly to automation targets. According to data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), China accounts for more than half of newly installed industrial robots worldwide. Its robot density has surpassed that of the United States and is rapidly closing the gap with leading automation powers such as Germany and Japan. Companies including UBTech, AgiBot, and Unitree Robotics have grown rapidly under strong policy support and vast domestic demand.

The authors emphasize that China’s advantage lies not only in manufacturing scale but also in its “deployment-first” approach. Robots are already being used extensively in factories, hospitals, warehouses and ports, elderly care facilities, and public security settings. Through repeated real-world deployment and operational data accumulation, Chinese firms are continuously improving robotic perception, autonomous decision-making, and manipulation capabilities.

The op-ed further highlights the growing national security dimension of China’s robotics development. Beijing has established a national humanoid robotics standardization technical committee whose members include leading firms such as Unitree Robotics and UBTech, as well as U.S.-restricted entities such as SenseTime and Huawei, along with universities affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army. The inclusion of such actors signals the ease with which civilian systems can be adapted for security and military applications.

China’s military establishment increasingly views robotics and autonomous systems as central to future warfare, particularly in the maritime and air domains most relevant to potential contingencies involving Taiwan and the broader Indo-Pacific. DJI’s dominance in the global commercial drone market, along with reported PLA testing of Unitree’s quadruped robotic systems, illustrates the blurring boundary between civilian and military spheres and raises implications for regional security.

At the same time, the authors acknowledge that China still faces bottlenecks in core supply chains. High-end components such as precision reducers, advanced servo motors, and high-performance ball screws remain dependent on suppliers in Japan and Germany. Chinese robotics firms also continue to rely on physics simulation platforms developed by Google and NVIDIA for training purposes. However, Beijing has recognized these vulnerabilities, and experts assess that within five to ten years China may achieve comprehensive control over embodied intelligence technologies and bring them to full commercial maturity.

By contrast, while the United States maintains world-class strengths in defense autonomous systems research and experimentation, it lacks a coordinated national framework that integrates public and private actors. Relevant initiatives remain dispersed across agencies and programs.

The op-ed recommends that Washington elevate robotics to the same strategic level as energy, biotechnology, and AI, establish a White House-level coordinating mechanism, and leverage federal and state procurement, pilot programs, and industrial incentives to accelerate commercial deployment. It further urges deeper collaboration with allies—including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and European partners—to strengthen critical component supply chains and build a trusted “non-red” supply chain capable of sustaining long-term competitive advantage.

The authors conclude that robotics is no longer merely an issue of efficiency or innovation. It is a decisive factor in whether a nation can translate AI into large-scale, real-world capabilities in both peacetime and wartime. China is actively promoting robotics deployment, investing in technological development, and closing supply chain gaps. Whether the United States can articulate and implement a commensurate strategy will shape the next phase of great power competition.

The Wire China is a U.S.-based digital news magazine that provides in-depth reporting on China’s economy, technology, and business policy, with particular attention to the implications of China’s rise for global supply chains, technological development, and geopolitics.