China eyes humanoid robots for future combat roles

China’s defence establishment is accelerating research into how humanoid robots could eventually be deployed in combat, with military researchers studying their use in urban assaults, reconnaissance and operations behind enemy lines.

A Reuters review of more than 100 Chinese military procurement notices, academic papers, patents and defence-industry materials shows that the work gained momentum in 2025 and 2026.

The focus is not only on the robots themselves, but also on the perception, manipulation and training-data systems needed to make them operate outside controlled demonstrations.

One 2025 study by researchers at the National University of Defense Technology modelled an urban assault force in which humanoids, robot dogs and unmanned ground vehicles work alongside troops to clear an enemy-held building room by room.

Another university competition simulated robots infiltrating enemy lines, mapping an area and locating targets.

China’s state-owned defence group Norinco, meanwhile, has presented its full-size Fuxi humanoid as a platform for sentry duty, reconnaissance, patrols and other hazardous tasks. The robot can be paired with a teleoperation system, allowing a human operator to control it remotely.

Reuters found no evidence that China has deployed armed humanoid robots with operational People’s Liberation Army units. The machines remain energy-intensive and unreliable in unpredictable environments.

But Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, expects the technology to mature.

- But in five to 10 years, they could very well be, he told Reuters, referring to humanoid robots as battlefield systems.

China’s commercial advantage may help speed up the process. Chinese manufacturers accounted for around 95 percent of global humanoid robot shipments in 2025, according to BofA Global Research.

PLA Daily has argued that humanoid missions could eventually develop from supporting roles into primary combat roles. China’s Ministry of National Defense has said that AI-powered weapons should remain under human control.

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