The Trump administration Tuesday halted imports of advanced robots and a type of power equipment frequently used in solar energy projects, in the latest outgrowth of White House alarm about security threats from China.
The restrictions, announced by the Federal Communications Commission, follow recent steps to limit imports of foreign-made drones and wireless routers. Tuesday’s move would sweep in mobile robots, such as humanoids or quadrupeds, as well as power inverters that are often deployed to connect solar energy to the electric grid.
The move appears in line with two huge priorities of Donald Trump’s second presidency — countering Chinese competition in artificial intelligence and thwarting the rise of clean energy, a technology that China dominates worldwide.
“Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue to do our part to secure America’s critical supply chains and, with today’s action, the FCC is acting in lock step with our national security agencies to do just that,” Chair Brendan Carr said in a statement.
