China will issue unique 'identity cards' for humanoid robots.

China has just launched a national program to assign a digital identifier to every domestically produced humanoid robot.

Called the " Comprehensive Humanoid Robot Lifecycle Management Service Platform," this program is being implemented by the Humanoid Robotics and Human Intelligence Standardization Committee (HEIS), under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China.

Each identifier will be structured into four parts: a two-digit country code to track cross-border transactions; a four-digit manufacturer code recording information about the manufacturing company; a six-digit product code to identify the robot type; and a 17-digit serial number to distinguish each individual unit. The goal of this system is to track humanoid robots from production to recycling.

China is projected to lead the world in robot shipments by 2025.

PHOTO: REUTERS

The reason China wants every humanoid robot to have its own unique ID.

The program also includes guidance for all stakeholders in the supply chain, from manufacturers, service providers, sellers, end users to recycling facilities. The new system will promote the regulated deployment of humanoid robots, where manufacturing companies will be held responsible for any incidents that occur.

According to IDC research in January 2026, the global humanoid robot market grew by 508% in 2025, with approximately 18,000 robots shipped worldwide , led by Chinese suppliers. Currently, China has over 100 humanoid robot manufacturers and has assigned digital identifiers to more than 28,000 robots across 200 different models before the program was widely launched.

Yu Xiuming, deputy director of the China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI), said the system is designed to address core issues of safety, monitoring, and governance. China's humanoid robotics industry is growing faster than the existing legal framework, and this identification system is not just a monitoring move, but a crucial step in building industrial infrastructure, creating the necessary standardization before global expansion.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/trung-quoc-se-cap-can-cuoc-rieng-cho-robot-hinh-nguoi-185260526003950887.htm