China is testing humanoid robots for military use

China is stepping up efforts to prepare humanoid robots for military use, according to Reuters, which reviewed more than 100 Chinese defense documents.

The report notes that humanoid robots recently demonstrated striking speed and agility at competitions in Beijing. Soon afterward, the official newspaper of China’s military called for faster efforts to move the technology from laboratories to military training grounds.

Reuters found that Chinese military institutes are already testing humanoid robots for reconnaissance and logistics. Researchers are also running urban-combat simulations in which mixed teams of soldiers and machines clear buildings floor by floor.

The documents show that the military had already issued a tender for a humanoid robot in May 2025. In June this year, it also allocated about $300,000 for a data-collection system designed to improve how the machines navigate terrain.

Reuters also points out that Chinese manufacturers accounted for 95% of the global humanoid robot market by 2025. A state-owned defense contractor has already unveiled a robot for patrol and reconnaissance missions that can be remotely controlled to reduce the risk of errors from autonomous systems.

At the same time, there is still no evidence that armed humanoid robots have actually been deployed with military units. Outside controlled environments, the machines remain unreliable and highly power-intensive, while real battlefields introduce too many unpredictable variables.

Even so, the Chinese military sees significant potential in the technology. Over time, humanoid robots could take on a larger role in direct combat, and researchers are even discussing systems that could be allowed to fire on targets after receiving human approval.