Politico: US weighs action on Chinese robotics imports

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told business leaders that the administration is reviewing state-subsidised robotics imports and could take further action against Chinese-made systems, people who attended a closed-door meeting on June 22 told Politico.

Speaking at the roundtable, Lutnick said Washington was increasingly concerned that China’s state-backed robotics sector could outcompete U.S. manufacturers and pose a broader strategic risk.

“We don’t want state-subsidised robotics attacking us in America, this is the arms [race] that is coming — robotic arms are coming,” Lutnick said, according to meeting notes seen by POLITICO. “We need to make sure they’re produced in America so we’re going to study those right now.”

The meeting brought together executives from companies including SpaceX, Boston Dynamics, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Siemens and Rockwell Automation to discuss how to rebuild U.S. manufacturing capacity for technologies ranging from semiconductors to robotics.

According to attendees, the discussion focused on the erosion of the U.S. industrial base and the need to reduce dependence on Chinese manufacturing. One person familiar with the talks said: “The whole idea that what we’re going to end up with is an American brain with a Chinese body is a very, very bad strategic plan.”

By Sabina Mammadli