Will the humanoid robot industry undergo a transformation? China dominates the Supply Chain, and the United States may fall into a tariff competition dilemma!

The Chinese government views robotics technology as an important component of the "Made in China 2025" initiative and actively promotes innovation. Recently, Beijing hosted the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon, showcasing China's ambitions in artificial intelligence and robotics technology. However, most of the parts required for humanoid robots are manufactured in China, which poses challenges for the United States in the robotics technology race, especially under the impact of import tariffs. Tesla's electric vehicle and humanoid robot plans have also been affected by the tariff war, attracting market attention.

China regards robotics technology as a key focus of "Made in China 2025"; robots can perform kung fu and run a half marathon.

Beijing initially occupied an advantage. The Chinese government strongly promotes innovation in this field, viewing robotics technology as an important component of the "Made in China 2025" manufacturing plan. Coupled with China's strong supply chain, this has led to more and more Chinese companies beginning to provide sufficiently flexible humanoid Bots that can perform kung fu and run a half marathon.

(China's so-called world's number one humanoid Bots H1 made its debut at the Spring Festival Gala, stunning the world!)

Last Saturday, the world's first robot half marathon competition was held in Beijing, where some of China's finest humanoid robots took on the challenge of racing against human marathon athletes. Although only 4 out of the 21 robot competitors finished the race within the stipulated four hours, the champion was the "Tiangong Superman," who completed the full distance in two hours and forty minutes, falling far behind the human gold medalist by an hour.

However, this human-machine competition showcases China's ambitions in areas such as artificial intelligence, Bots, and semiconductors. The government led by Chinese President Xi Jinping has prioritized the research and development of key technologies, intensifying trade tensions with the United States.

Most humanoid robot parts are made in China.

Humanoid robots have an appearance and movement similar to humans, requiring more components than traditional industrial robots, including specialized actuators, sensing systems, and computing chips. According to a recent analysis by Bank of America, many key hardware components are manufactured in China. As of now, China is the country facing the heaviest import tariffs.

Analysts state that actuators account for over 50% of the total materials in robots, typically consisting of frameless torque motors, planetary roller screws, and precision bearings produced in China. Similarly, the report found that four out of the five major suppliers of humanoid robot vision systems (, priced at several thousand dollars ), are Chinese companies.

The driving force behind the revival of Bots in the United States comes from people's excitement about the advancements in artificial intelligence software that can help Bots better adapt to and navigate their surroundings. Additionally, the decrease in prices of certain materials produced in China for manufacturing more advanced Bots has also boosted the market.

The trade war has led to rising costs, which may affect the United States' leading position.

In recent years, Silicon Valley tech investors have begun to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in humanoid robot startups, including Apptronik, Figure AI, and Dexterity. Large tech companies such as Apple, Meta, and TSL are also at various stages of exploring humanoid robots.

However, according to a report by Bloomberg, the uncertainty of tariffs may now make it more difficult for the United States to maintain a leading position in the robot race. Jeff Bernstein, chairman of the Association for Advancing Automation, which represents over 1,000 robot companies in North America, stated, "Some companies have told me they want to bring manufacturing back to the United States, but we don’t even have suppliers providing these parts. Even if we did, the costs would be much higher. If the costs of these parts soar, our competitiveness will weaken."

TSL's financial report is about to be released. Has the tariff war affected electric vehicles and the progress of Optimus?

According to Reuters, Tesla's low-cost Model Y car, which was originally scheduled for release in the first half of this year, has been delayed.

After Trump imposed a 25% tariff on automobiles and auto parts imported from outside the United States, automakers are facing the prospect of rising prices and supply chain disruptions. According to insiders, due to tariff reasons, TSL has recently suspended plans to ship Cybercab and Semi truck parts from China to the United States.

Another concerning aspect is the progress of the humanoid robot Optimus. Tesla originally planned to mass-produce thousands of Optimus units by 2025, but most of the components are also imported from China. Investors will closely follow the Tesla Q1 2025 earnings call scheduled for tomorrow.

Is the humanoid robot industry undergoing a transformation? China's supply chain dominance, the United States may fall into the dilemma of tariff competition! First appeared in Chain News ABMedia.