Communist China Accelerates Development of ‘Combatant’ Humanoid Robot Army
by Frank Bergman
Communist China’s military is rapidly developing humanoid robot “combatants” for deployment on the battlefield as Beijing races toward a chilling new era of machine warfare.
While China’s humanoid robots have been publicly displayed sprinting, jumping, dancing, and competing in sporting events, behind the scenes the Chinese Communist Party’s military is working to turn the technology into weapons of war.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is accelerating research into deploying humanoid robots alongside human troops and ultimately expanding their role from battlefield support to direct combat.
The push raises the prospect of future battlefields dominated by autonomous machines, drones, and robotic soldiers capable of identifying and attacking human targets.
A major investigation by Reuters uncovered the scale of China’s preparations after examining more than 100 Chinese military procurement notices, patents, academic studies, government records, official publications, and defense industry materials.
“China’s defense establishment is accelerating research into humanoids’ military uses and planning for their eventual wartime deployment, according to a Reuters review of more than 100 Chinese military procurement notices, academic studies, patents, official publications, government records and defense-company materials,” Reuters reported.
China’s Robot ‘Combatants’ Move Toward the Battlefield
The military effort accelerated significantly during 2025 and 2026.
Chinese military institutions are testing humanoids against battlefield requirements while seeking robots and related technology for training.
Researchers are concentrating on capabilities including perception, manipulation, movement, and the enormous quantities of training data needed for machines to operate in unpredictable combat environments.
The PLA’s official newspaper has openly urged researchers to move advanced robotics out of laboratories and onto military training grounds.
The machines are being described as robotic “combatants.”
That development comes shortly after China’s World Humanoid Robot Games offered international governments a demonstration of just how quickly the country’s robotics industry is advancing.
The machines competed in events involving running, jumping, and other complex movements that would have been extraordinarily difficult for humanoid robots only years ago.
China also possesses an enormous industrial advantage.
Chinese manufacturers accounted for approximately 95% of worldwide humanoid robot shipments in 2025, according to BofA Global Research.