China's New Killer Weapons Ready for Deployment to the Battlefield
After demonstrating their ability to jump, box and run nimbly at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, Chinese humanoid robots are now being eyed for the military sphere. The official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), PLA Daily, has called on researchers to accelerate the transfer of cutting-edge technology from the laboratory to military training grounds to create robotic “weapons”.
Based on a Reuters review of more than 100 Chinese military procurement notices, academic studies, patents and government records, Chinese defence institutions have been proven to be accelerating research into the military use of humanoid robots in order to plan wartime deployment.
This move is supported by Chinese industry’s dominance, producing around 95% of global humanoid robot shipments in 2025 according to BofA Global Research data, giving the PLA broad access to develop its own military applications.
The following are several key points regarding the direction of China’s military robot development, quoted from Reuters on Tuesday (8/9/2026):
Military Research Focus: Since 2025 and 2026, Chinese military institutions have been actively testing humanoid robots against battlefield requirements, ranging from perception and manipulation to training data.
Urban Scenarios: Research from the NUDT testing centre in Xi’an in August 2025 modelled an urban assault force involving six combat robots, including humanoids and robot dogs, to clear enemy buildings floor by floor.
Operational Stage: Although there is no evidence of the operational deployment of armed humanoids by PLA units, Norinco (a state-owned defence conglomerate) has developed the Fuxi robot, equipped with a long-range teleoperation system for reconnaissance and all-weather patrol duties.
Meanwhile, the United States has also begun launching competitions to develop military humanoid capabilities. However, experts caution that major challenges such as high energy requirements, field reliability, and ethical dilemmas relating to the laws of war and surrender remain homework for the future use of autonomous robots.