The company’s manufactured robots are not just tools, they are potential surveillance devices backed by the Chinese Communist Party,” says Rep. John Mourenard.
A bipartisan group of 24 House members is calling for a federal investigation into China-based Unitree Robotics, warning that its products pose national security risks.
Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-III.), a ranking member of the committee, led by Rep. John Mourenard (R-Mich.), chair of the House Selection Committee on the Communist Party of China, noted that Unitree “has “a well-documented relationship” with parties to the Pla-Afileated Institutions and Chinese Communist (CCP). PLA is an acronym for the People’s Liberation Army, a military force of the Chinese regime.
“Every member of the committee (Democrats and Republicans) signed this letter because we all see the risks. Beijing quietly embedding itself into our critical system.
The lawmakers called on three agencies to immediately investigate Unitree’s role in advance of China’s military goals. And based on their findings, they recommend that the Pentagon designate the company as a “Chinese military company” and add it to the “entity list” to restrict exports, while the FCC recommends that it be included in the “cover list” to prevent its use in the US communications infrastructure.
Discovered by Wang Xingxing in 2016 and headquartered in Hangzhou, central China, Unitree is known for its humanoid robots and four times the robotic dog product line.
According to the letter, Unitree robots are used in law enforcement, correctional facilities and defense facilities all over the United States.
“The United States must act decisively to prevent repeated drone sectors where reliance on hostile national-made platforms violates the advantages of our technology and endangers US national security.”
“Our national security, industrial resilience and technical leadership rely on eliminating vulnerabilities across the entire system ecosystem that has not been condemned. AUVSI praises the Select Committee’s leadership.”
Concerns
In their letter, lawmakers detailed Unitree’s relationship with the Chinese administration.
They said Wang, CEO of Unitree, held “top ranking position” in February at a closure meeting between the country’s top business leader and CCP leader Xi Jinping.
According to the letter, Unitree has been “heavy subsidized” by the city government in Hangzhou and is supported by the city’s $140 billion Sci-Tech fund.
The lawmakers noted that Unitree is also participating in the military fusion programme and operates from the city’s military fusion hub known as the Hangzhou High-Tech Zone.
Citing China’s National University of Defense Technology, lawmakers write that Unicon is “the heart of PRC’s AI expansion along with Huawei and Smic.”
Lawmakers said the “most urgent risk” of Unitree’s platform is related to remote digital access.
“In March 2025, cybersecurity researchers reported that Unitree robots had pre-installed undocumented remote access tunnels called Cloudsail. The service is enabled by default and quietly connects each robot to the Unitree server in PRC,” the letter reads.
Additionally, lawmakers said Unitree stores user data in China, citing the company’s privacy policy. As a result, Unitree could be forced to transfer data to Chinese authorities under the country’s intelligence reporting and cybersecurity laws.
Unitree’s robots are also connected to the US communications infrastructure, raising concerns among lawmakers about potential risks to critical US infrastructure from “remote surveillance and data collection” by Malign Actors.
Other committee members who signed the letter include Rob Whitman (R-Va.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Andy Barr (R-KY.), Andre Carson (D-ind.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Seth Moulton (d-mass.), Darin Lahood (R-flif.), ro khanna (d-flif.), and darin lahood. Mikie Sherrill (DN.J.), Dusty Johnson (Rs.D.), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Ritchie Torres (DN.Y.), Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Jill Tokuda (d-hawaii), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), Zach Nun (R-Iowa.), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa).
“Unitrees should be banned and blacklisted because of weaponization technology against Americans.”
