Humanoid robots are undergoing rapid development, led by firms in the United States and China. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have improved the degree of autonomy in humanoid robots, allowing them to handle more complex interactions with humans and their environment. These improvements are accelerating as robots use generative AI to learn new tasks, replacing what was previously accomplished through manual programming. China has set a series of goals relating to the development of its humanoid robots sector, including having two to three humanoid robot firms that are global leaders by 2025. Many other aspects of its stated goals, however, are vague and susceptible to multiple interpretations. While China’s capacity to achieve these goals in the stated time frames may be doubtful, if their overall efforts are successful, humanoid robots could have transformative implications across commercial industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare, and potentially for military and law enforcement as well. The Chinese government has thrown its weight behind developing humanoid robots, as it has previously for other critical emerging technologies, with the aim of expanding its role in the global market.