Humanoid Robot Ban Peels Back the Last Layer of US-China AI Competition

July 30, 2026, Beijing, Ministry of Commerce press briefing room. After reading the statement, the spokesperson didn't answer any questions and turned to leave. Reporters below looked down at their phones, checking English news alerts—the US FCC had officially banned Chinese-made humanoid robots from entering the American market. Several PR directors from AI companies present exchanged glances; they knew this ban wasn't targeting a specific product, but was aimed at the entire "embodied intelligence" sector.