The shockwaves from China's mass production of humanoid robots are being felt worldwide.
Two years ago, a video of a humanoid robot stumbling and falling after taking a few steps went viral on YouTube, drawing laughter and ridicule. However, the second Humanoid Robot Olympics held in Beijing in August 2026 changed that perception. The Tian Gong Ultra completed a 100-meter dash in 9.39 seconds, faster than Usain Bolt's record of 9.58 seconds. The previous year's winning time for the same event was 21.50 seconds. While running was a spectacle, the main events included cable connections, industrial assembly, logistics loading, and electric vehicle charging.
China has long been known as the world's factory. In recent years, its products have crossed borders in small parcel deliveries, driven by platforms like AliExpress and Temu. Goods are often cheaper than those produced in South Korean factories. Small factories that once produced stationery, kitchenware, small appliances, and clothing are closing daily, echoing the cries of small manufacturers in the U.S., Europe, Malaysia, and Central Asia. Now, consumer goods in shipping boxes are set to transform into humanoid robotic laborers from China.
Consider a metal processing factory in South Korea with 20 employees. The owner has already lost a third of his orders due to competition from AliExpress and Temu. Then, a Chinese humanoid robot priced at 20 million won arrives, half the annual labor cost. The owner decides to replace workers with robots, and neighboring factories follow suit. The question remains: what happens when this choice is made simultaneously across thousands of factories?
According to the British research firm Omdia, approximately 13,000 humanoid robots were shipped worldwide in 2025, with a single Chinese company, AjiBot, accounting for 5,168 units. In contrast, American companies like Tesla, Figure AI, and Agility Robotics produced around 150 units each. In the first half of 2026, shipments from China alone exceeded 40,000 units, raising its market share to 97%. Prices have also plummeted, with Unitree selling its G1 model for 99,000 yuan, about 19 million won. A year ago, industrial humanoids were priced at 1 million yuan. This price drop is attributed to the mass production of components like motors, gear reducers, and sensors in China. However, many of the shipped robots remain in laboratories and showrooms. Nevertheless, Ubitech's Walker S2 has been working 24 hours a day in a Geely factory under extreme heat.
Even Tesla's Optimus, a symbol of American innovation, relies on Chinese components for its motors, gear reducers, bearings, sensors, batteries, and screws. According to Morgan Stanley, removing Chinese parts could triple the production cost of an Optimus robot from $46,000 to $131,000.
Humanoid robots can replace human workers in various settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, package sorting, electrical work, and equipment repair. In South Korea, the daily cost of nursing care exceeds 150,000 won, and there is a shortage of caregivers. As robot prices decrease, hospitals and nursing homes are likely to be the first to adopt them. A day may come when human caregivers compete with robotic ones. The same robots that wash dishes could also wield rifles, becoming soldiers. In May 2025, a Chinese robot dog equipped with a rifle was showcased during joint military exercises between China and Cambodia. Reuters analyzed over 100 procurement announcements and papers from the Chinese military in September 2026, revealing that the People's Liberation Army is accelerating research to develop humanoids for roles beyond reconnaissance and transport, including combat.
This situation intersects with demographic challenges. South Korea's total fertility rate is around 0.7, and Japan and Europe also struggle to maintain military personnel. The assumption that soldiers must be human is now in question. At the current pace, China could produce hundreds of thousands of humanoid robots annually within two to three years. Human soldiers take 20 years to train, while robot soldiers can be manufactured in a matter of hours. The balance of power in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and Korean Peninsula will be recalibrated based on the number of these robotic soldiers. South Korea, separated from China by just one sea, is in a position to face the first wave of this change.
The economic wave is already here. As Chinese humanoids arrive in shipping containers, workers will lose their jobs. The introduction of humanoids represents not just the import of goods but the import of labor. There are no immigration checks or visas required. Machines that require only electricity instead of salaries are entering through ports. Following the reduction of entry-level jobs for college graduates due to artificial intelligence, humanoids are now targeting blue-collar jobs in factories, warehouses, construction sites, and hospitals. No one has an answer for what jobs will remain for humans.
The U.S. has proposed legislation to block federal procurement of Unitree and AjiBot robots. However, given that most components of the leading American humanoid are sourced from China, this barrier may not hold for long. While the U.S. controls the semiconductor and software sectors, a smart head without a body cannot stand on the battlefield. The side that holds the hardware components will be stronger than those building barriers. The situation is even more urgent for Asian countries. Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines lack the component networks that China has established. Even South Korea, which boasts the highest density of robots, imports a significant portion of its gear reducers and motors.
This is not just a U.S.-China technological rivalry; it is also a military and ideological competition. In capitalist countries, markets dictate production. In China, the Communist Party directs industrial strategy and output. China has established robot funds worth 10 billion yuan in various local governments and included humanoids in its five-year national plan. In contrast, liberal democracies have left such decisions to individual companies. As of September 2026, China is winning in terms of volume and price. Volume and cost will soon set the standard. If Chinese robots dominate global factories, their operating systems and component specifications will become the global standard.
Time is running out, with only two to three years left for South Korea to make critical decisions. The starting point is components. A thorough assessment is needed to determine whether gear reducers, motors, and sensors can be produced domestically. The potential job losses due to humanoids should be calculated by industry, and plans for retraining and safety nets must be established in advance. The military must set deadlines for when and how to acquire unmanned ground forces. Amid all this, I wonder if there is any discussion in the government and the National Assembly with a timeline attached. As previously suggested, South Korea should establish a public enterprise for humanoids, similar to how KAI was created to boost the aerospace industry.
Two years ago, a stumbling robot has now outpaced Usain Bolt. Before China's humanoid military forces geopolitically pressure countries across Asia and replace workers worldwide, the world must prepare for this shift. South Korea, located right next to China, faces this urgency more than anyone else. Yet, no one seems to be paying attention.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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