Rebellion within the ranks: China's top military paper challenges Xi Jinping's push for battlefield robots
Three writers—Yuan Yi, Ma Ye, and Yue Shiguang—wrote the piece, but it's not clear if they are from the army or civilian defence. The article says using humanoid robots in large numbers could cause 'indiscriminate killings' and accidental deaths, which could lead to legal issues and moral backlash, as stated in the report by The Telegraph.
It asks the military to do more ethical and legal studies before using these robots in battle. The piece admits that humanoid robots are useful for war since they reduce human deaths, and could be the next big step in military tech, like drones once were, as per the reports.
ALSO READ:
Largest population purge this decade? Iran expels half a million Afghans in rapid crackdown post-Israel war
But it warns that the technology is still new and not fully understood, so the use of these robots in combat should be strictly controlled and regulated. This article is very unusual for PLA Daily, which normally just promotes the government's military plans. That's why many experts are surprised, as reported by The Telegraph.
Live Events
Big change in tone from earlier
Just two months ago, the same paper praised humanoid robots and said they would change the future of war in a good way. The new warning might mean that some people in Beijing are not fully happy with China's heavy focus on military AI and robots, as per the report by The Telegraph.
Interestingly, the article didn't name the Chinese military (PLA) directly, but it did name other countries like the US, Russia, and Japan, saying they are also investing heavily in humanoid robots for war. China is leading the world in automation, with more robots per worker than any country except South Korea and Singapore, according to the reports.
ALSO READ:
Bitcoin hits new all-time high at $113,804 as supply shrinks and big buyers load up
China building robot army fast
From 2022 to 2023, China added over 276,000 roboworkers, which is more than half of all robots used globally. Last month, China's state media proudly showed off the world's first robot football match, where AI robots played soccer with no human help, as per The Telegraph report.
The Chinese defence industry is also making robot dogs for combat, and military strategists are openly supporting the use of humanoid robots in battle. The US, on the other hand, is not focusing much on humanoid robots, but is investing more in next-gen fighter jets and drones, claims reports.
A well-known scholar at the PLA's top institute, Wang Yonghua, has said that humanoid robots can mimic human actions, interact with humans, and replace soldiers in complex missions, as stated by The Telegraph.
FAQs
Q1. Why did China's military newspaper warn about battlefield robots?
The PLA Daily warned that humanoid robots could cause accidental killings and legal or moral problems.
Q2. Is China using humanoid robots in its army?
China is developing humanoid robots and combat robot dogs, but some experts now want strict rules before using them in war.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
EM Hedge Funds Eye Safeguards as World-Beating Rally Blooms
(Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds dedicated to emerging-market debt are increasingly turning to risk-mitigating strategies to ensure they lock in double digit gains as a broad rally in developing nation assets deepens. After a banner first half of the year, hedge funds targeting EM debt have returned nearly 13% on an annual basis — more than their peers positioned in any other asset class, according to data based on Bloomberg indexes. The latest global financial flows data shows the asset class remains thriving and the extra yield investors demand to hold the sovereign debt of developing nations over US Treasuries just hit a 15-year low. Such tight pricing, along with uncertainty over US policies and global conflicts, is pushing hedge funds to curb risks as they ride the historic rally. The funds do this by swapping longer-maturity bonds in their portfolios for less risky shorter-dated ones. They also focus on higher-rated debt and the most-liquid securities while keeping an ample cash pile. 'Do you just want to be massively long on credit on these valuations? I'd say probably not,' said Anthony Kettle, who co-manages BlueBay Emerging Market Unconstrained Bond Fund with Polina Kurdyavko and Brent David. 'Having a little bit of dry powder evidently makes sense, and also running elevated cash levels.' To be clear, Kettle said, there's still a 'decent environment' to gain additional returns as funds become more selective and can profit from both rising and falling asset prices, unlike index-based investors. The $784-million BlueBay fund has returned 17% over the past 12 months. Investors have taken advantage of EM inflows stoked by increased interest for alternative assets amid US policy unpredictability, which has also weakened the dollar. While many developing countries have come out of distressed debt levels as sentiment improved, further risks include another Iran-Israel flare up and potential additional increases in US tariffs, including on the buyers of Russian energy. President Donald Trump's administration has caused a 'breakdown of the traditional safe haven correlations' by shaking up the post-Cold War world order, creating an 'unusual and unpredictable' environment, said Demetris Efstathiou, the chief investment officer of Blue Diagonal EM Fixed Income Fund. 'It is very hard to predict what they will do next with tariffs, and on top of that you have ongoing wars,' Efstathiou said. His fund is 'very conservatively' positioned with shorter-maturity bonds and he avoids weak credits to protect the portfolio in the event of a global slowdown and market downturn. He has increased holdings of AAA- and AA-rated EM sovereigns along with less-indebted countries with large domestic markets like Brazil, Turkey and Mexico. EM-dedicated bond funds have received $31 billion in inflows year-to-date, with positioning increased in each of the last 14 weeks as global markets recalibrate after an era of US dominance. A near-record $5.7 billion piled into the asset class in the week though July 23, according to EPFR Global data provided by economists at Bank of America Corp. For some, flows of such a magnitude signal that EM debt is already predicting the best-case scenario. The US and European Union agreed on a deal that will see the EU face 15% tariffs on most of its exports, including automobiles, to stave off a trade war. Following the deal announced on Sunday, EM debt mostly strengthened with local yields in emerging European nations such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary declining. 'The market is now priced for a Goldilocks scenario with the risk of a severe recession receding significantly and expectations' of one or more rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, the $847 million Enko Africa Debt Fund said in a letter to clients. Managed by Alain Nkontchou, the Africa-specific hedge fund has returned 24% over the past year. Nevertheless, the expected volatility means that traditional buy-to-hold trades may not necessarily succeed and that hedge funds will prioritize holding more liquid assets to ensure an easier exit in case sentiment turns, according to ProMeritum Investment Management LLP, a $700-million fund that invests in developing markets outside China. 'Liquidity management will be critical in the second half of the year because of an unpredictable environment and geopolitical risks,' said Evgueni Konovalenko, managing partner and head of strategy at the firm. Such a focus is needed 'to take advantage of both short and long positions with sudden policy changes and a daily barrage of headlines.' --With assistance from Jorgelina do Rosario. (Updates with EU-US trade deal in the 13th paragraph.) More stories like this are available on
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Oil steadies as investors assess US-EU deal
LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices edged higher on Monday as investors assessed a trade deal between the United States and the European Union, while a stronger US dollar and lower oil imports by India weighed on prices. Brent crude futures were up 30 cents, or 0.4%, to $68.74 a barrel by 0813 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude stood at $65.43 a barrel, up 27 cents, or 0.4%. The U.S.-European Union trade deal and a possible extension in the U.S.-China tariff pause are supporting global financial markets and oil prices, IG markets analyst Tony Sycamore said. Sunday's U.S.-EU framework trade pact sets an import tariff of 15% on most EU goods, while U.S. President Trump said the deal calls for $750 billion of EU purchases of U.S. energy in coming years. Senior U.S. and Chinese officials will meet in Stockholm on Monday, aiming to extend a tariff truce before an August 12 deadline. Oil pared most of its gains on Monday after Brent futures rose above $69 a barrel earlier in the day. Oil retreated from those levels as focus shifted to a stronger US dollar and lower oil imports by India, following the removal of another uncertainty with the US-EU deal, PVM analyst Tamas Varga said. On the supply side, an OPEC panel is unlikely to alter existing plans to raise oil output when it meets on Monday, four OPEC delegates told Reuters on July 25. ING expects OPEC will at least complete the full return of 2.2 million barrels per day of the additional voluntary supply cuts by the end of September. Also on the supply side, Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA is readying to resume work, once Trump reinstates authorisations for its partners to operate and export oil under swaps, company sources said. In the Middle East, Yemen's Houthis said on Sunday they would target ships of companies that do business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality, in what they called a fourth phase of military operations against Israel over the Gaza conflict. (Reporting by Enes Tunagur in London, Florence Tan in Singapore and Sam Li in Beijing; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Jacqueline Wong and Giles Elgood)
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Forget Cartier: Made-in-China luxury captivates Chinese consumers
China's Laopu, which specializes in gold jewelry, sees a gap in the European-led luxury market. Well-off Chinese used to chase Western luxury bags and jewelry as symbols of status. Now, in a challenge to the likes of Cartier and Yves Saint Laurent, they are turning to homegrown brands. Little-known in the West, names such as Laopu, Mao Geping and Songmont are winning over Chinese customers with a pitch that combines locally inspired designs and cultural pride. Beijing auditor Zhou Linanfang, 35, noticed long lines outside a store selling Laopu gold jewelry from her hospital room last year when she was about to give birth. Her social-media feeds added to the buzz around the brand. Zhou, like many in her generation, considered gold jewelry unfashionable but changed her mind after seeing the filigree flower rings, gourd-shaped pendants and phoenix hairpieces in Laopu designs. Soon after the arrival of her baby boy, her husband lined up at a Laopu store in Beijing for an hour to buy her a butterfly-shaped pendant for $1,600. 'It's just stylish," Zhou said. 'Now that we have luxury gold pieces, as someone who loves fashion, how could I not get one?" Also taking notice are Western luxury-brand CEOs such as Johann Rupert, chairman of Cartier parent Richemont. He was asked in May whether Laopu was a threat. The brand is 'tied to nationalism and tied to patriotism, and they have a lot of wins in their favor," Rupert said. However, he added, 'Cartier is universal." For Hermès, the resale value of its bags remains an advantage over Chinese rivals. Sales of luxury products in mainland China, mostly Western brands, fell around 20% last year to less than $50 billion, according to consultants at Bain. They said China accounted for about one in eight dollars spent on luxury globally. For the year ended March 2025, Richemont's sales in China fell 23%. Laopu listed its shares in Hong Kong last year and its stock surged, giving the company a market capitalization of more than $15 billion. By contrast, shares of Gucci owner Kering have declined more than 20% compared with a year earlier as the China growth hopes that formerly drove luxury shares have faded. In June, NBA player Victor Wembanyama was seen wearing Laopu's signature gourd-shaped pendant at a sports-card show in New York after visiting China. Zhou said she liked the idea of buying gold jewelry because it might retain its value better in an era of growing economic uncertainty. She said she no longer bought a luxury handbag or jewelry every six months like she used to. 'I might lose my job tomorrow, so I definitely need to cut back," she said. Laopu's chairman, Xu Gaoming, told shareholders in April that the company has carved out a niche with little direct competition. Chinese gold jewelry makers aim for the mass market, while European fine jewelers don't specialize in gold. Laopu's black-and-white stores offer a minimalist ambience, while pampering customers as they wait with Evian water and Godiva chocolate. A Laopu store in Beijing. As those perks suggest, European brands still have a cachet that is hard to match. People in the luxury business said the Chinese brands might even serve as a feeder to get younger consumers interested in luxury. Vanessa Piao, a luxury-bag reseller in China, said more buyers are treating their purchases as an investment, and they often prefer prestigious names such as Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. 'They are happy to pay $20,000 for a Birkin 25 because they can resell it in a few years without losing much," Piao said, referring to the Hermès bag. 'They won't pay that money for a luxury bag or any fashion item from a domestic brand, no matter how exquisite and rare it is, because that, to some, is the equivalent of throwing $20,000 down the drain." Sophia Zhang, 32, was a loyal customer of Lancôme and Estée Lauder until she became a fan of Mao Geping, the namesake brand of a Chinese makeup artist. Its cream and foundation typically cost half or less the price of the international brands. A 100-gram jar of its signature moisturizer costs $139, compared with $280 for a smaller jar of a top-of-the-line Lancôme moisturizer. 'In the past I figured I'd splurge on skin care, believing those big names were the best, and I'd dismiss local products just because they were cheaper," said Zhang, who, like Zhou, said she still buys some European brands. Now that she has found a less-expensive alternative that suits her, she said, 'it'll be tough to go back." Backstage at a Mao Geping show during Beijing Fashion Week. China is also developing some accessible luxury brands priced comparably to Coach and Michael Kors. One is Songmont, known for its simple and modern designs in products such as a $529 shoulder bag. Twelve-year-old Songmont was co-founded by Fu Song and Wang Jie, designers who graduated from China's top art schools. Some of their first products, with Chinese brocade linings depicting auspicious Chinese motifs like dragons, phoenixes and butterflies, were fashioned by Fu's grandmother and other craftspeople in western Shanxi province. Like many other niche brands around the world, Songmont emphasizes sustainability and its sourcing of threads and oils for its leather bags from Germany and Italy. Its stores incorporate pine trees and rocks, and it brought on tennis star Li Na to promote the brand to channel a bold vibe. The next question is whether the Chinese brands can go global. Shein and Temu have succeeded in e-commerce with rock-bottom prices on mostly Chinese-made goods, and some Americans have taken to Labubu, the viral troll-like toy from China's Pop Mart. Laopu, the jewelry retailer, opened its first overseas store in Singapore in June and will venture to Japan next, but a person close to the company questioned whether Western consumers were ready to embrace marketing based on traditional Chinese culture and aesthetics. Bain consultant Claudia D'Arpizio said Labubu's success suggested Gen-Z consumers were open to buying Chinese. However, she said, 'for more of the core high-end luxury customers in the U.S. and in Europe, made-in-Europe is still very important." Write to Shen Lu at
