It has been revealed that China has accelerated its work on the military use of humanoid robots in the field of defense. The Chinese military is preparing for the future use of these robots on the battlefield, according to a Reuters review of more than 100 Chinese military contract announcements, academic studies, patents, official publications, public records and defense company documents.
Chinese manufacturers accounted for approximately 95 percent of the world's humanoid robot shipments in 2025. This gives China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) access to a rapidly growing robotics sector, while also allowing the military to develop these technologies according to its own needs.
WHAT WILL ROBOTS DO IN WAR?
Military institutions in China are testing humanoid robots to see if they are suitable for real combat conditions. In addition, the technologies required for training robots are being studied and how these machines can work together with soldiers is being investigated.
The studies focused especially on robots sensing the environment, moving objects, and improving them with training data.
Humanoid robot means a robot that can move with two legs and two hands, similar to the human body. Thanks to this structure, it is among the goals of performing tasks such as climbing stairs, overcoming obstacles, opening doors or moving in areas designed for people.
According to UCLA engineering professor Dennis Hong, one of the most important reasons for the development of robots is that they can be sent to places where it is dangerous for humans to go. If the loss of a robot can prevent the loss of a human life, the robot may become a militarily expendable tool.
SCENARIO HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR CITY WARS
China also has a scenario for the use of humanoid robots in urban warfare.
A study published in August 2025 by researchers at China's National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) envisioned six "battle robots" being split into two attack teams. A scenario was studied in which these systems, which could consist of humanoid robots, robot dogs or unmanned vehicles, would clean a building under enemy control, floor by floor and room by room, together with ground troops.
The study stated that these systems were modeled based on technologies that could be used in the next 5 to 10 years. However, no details were given about what weapons the robots would carry, how they would make the decision to open fire, or what they would do when they encountered civilians.
Researcher Juo-Min Chou from Taiwan's National Defense and Security Research Institute stated that improvements in balance, environmental perception and working time could make humanoid robots useful in areas such as buildings, tunnels and ship interiors. But for simpler tasks such as exploration or material handling, four-legged, tracked or wheeled robots can be cheaper and easier to use, he said.
HUMANITY ROBOTS COULD MOVE DIRECTLY TOWARD CONFLICT
In an article published in July 2025 in PLA Daily, one of the official publications of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, it was argued that the tasks of humanoid robots could progress from "conflict support to direct conflict" over time.
The article also discussed the conditions under which robots would be allowed to open fire on a live target verified by a human.
In December, China's Eastern Front Command also released an AI-generated video showing military robots, including humanoid robots and quadrupedal robots, breaching Taiwan's defenses in a hypothetical future conflict.
THE USA IS ALSO TESTING HUMANITY ROBOTS
The development of humanoid robots for military purposes is not only on China's agenda.
Last year, the US Army launched a competition to develop "militarized humanoid robotic technologies" that could work with soldiers. Possible areas of use included reconnaissance, security, removal of obstacles, working with hazardous materials, and offensive-defense missions in cities.
The US Army planned for the finalists to test their systems with military experts this year and announced that up to $1.25 million could be allocated for ongoing contracts.
CHINESE ARMY STARTED BUYING ROBOTS
China's interest in military robots accelerated in 2024. That year, NUDT and the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences held a defense technologies forum that included a session on the military use of humanoid systems.
In 2025, NUDT began to explicitly consider humanoid robots as tools for the battlefield. In a competition held at the university in June 2025, robots were asked to "infiltrate behind enemy lines", enter an area, map it and find targets.
In another scenario, robots were envisaged to perform identity checks, disciplinary control and security patrols at military bases. The university described the competition as a testing ground for the future "transition to the battlefield" of humanoid robots.
In May 2025, the Chinese military opened a tender to purchase a humanoid robot. The tender also included the installation and technical training of the robot. Four months later, in another tender where the NUDT contact address was available, the purchase of a "humanoid robot intelligent perception and precision movement system" was requested.
In June 2026, the Chinese military allocated a budget of approximately 300 thousand dollars for a system that will collect and classify camera, radar and movement data for humanoid robots. This data included information about the terrain on which the robots could move.
PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL REMOTELY
China's defense industry has also become more involved in this field by 2026.
The humanoid robot named Fuxi, developed by the state-owned defense company Norinco; It was stated that it can be used for guard duty, reconnaissance in all weather conditions, smart patrol and dangerous missions.
The robot can also work with a teleoperation system, that is, a system that allows a human operator to control the robot remotely. This method eliminates the need for the robot to make all decisions on its own.
Malcolm Davis from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said that humanoid robots are not currently a practical system on the battlefield, but it could become possible in 5 to 10 years.
WILL ROBOTS BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS?
If humanoid robots are used in the future as completely autonomous systems, that is, systems that act without human intervention, legal and ethical issues will also arise.
According to the law of war, soldiers are required to separate civilians from warring parties and not attack wounded or surrendered people. The International Committee of the Red Cross also warns that autonomous weapons may have difficulty reliably understanding surrender signals.
The US military requires that autonomous weapons undergo legal review and realistic tests before being used, and that commanders and operators make appropriate evaluations regarding the use of force. The Chinese Ministry of Defense also announced in March that artificial intelligence-supported weapons should remain under human control.
Chinese Academy of Military Sciences researcher Wang Yonghua also stated that humanoid robots still have unsolved problems in the areas of movement, environmental perception and decision-making. He stated that technological breakthroughs, reduced production costs and mass production are required for robots to be widely transformed into military systems.
Wang wrote that if these conditions are met, "humanoid robots will flock to the battlefield."
