China is rapidly developing humanoid robots for potential military use, with the People’s Liberation Army exploring how the machines could eventually operate alongside human soldiers.

A Reuters review of more than 100 Chinese military documents found research focused on using humanoid robots for reconnaissance, logistics, urban combat, and dangerous battlefield missions.

China’s strong commercial robotics industry gives its military access to a large domestic supply of humanoid technology, with Chinese manufacturers accounting for about 95% of global humanoid robot shipments in 2025.

Researchers are still facing major challenges, including limited battery life, reliability problems, and the difficulty of making robots capable of functioning effectively in unpredictable combat environments, Reuters has reported.

Despite these limitations, Chinese military researchers envision humanoid robots eventually taking on high-risk missions and potentially becoming part of battlefield units within the next five to ten years.