The Chinese government is planning to roll out unique digital identity numbers for all its humanoid robots to track them better throughout their lifecycle, meanwhile reports are stating digital ID systems are already becoming a human rights violation for their citizens.
Chinese authorities have issued new [1] guidelines concerning the management of humanoid robots and the tracking of their unique identification codes. These unique humanoid IDs are composed of 4 segments, a 2-digit code for cross-border shipment tracking, a 4-digit code indicating the manufacturing Chinese firm, a 6-digit product code that identifies the type of humanoid robot, and a 17-digit serial code for the individual robots as outlined in the guidelines. This initiative currently involves more than 100 Chinese manufacturers, with over 28,000 humanoid robots across 200 models assigned a digital ID.
The programme is directed by [2] the Humanoid Robotics and Embodied Intelligence Standardisation or HEIS, which operates under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Reports indicate that humanoid robots currently in use within the country are not yet fully autonomous, often struggling with precision and the necessary dexterity to perform a variety of tasks. These robots are primarily deployed for site-specific trials across various industries; however, experts have observed that their efficiency remains limited compared to human capabilities, largely due to their restricted dexterity.
Yu Xiuming, vice president of the China Electronics Standardization Institute, [3] stated that the assignment of the code enables robots to maintain control across various fields, industries, and roles. This initiative aims to address fundamental issues related to safety, management, and governance, thereby facilitating the practical use of humanoid robots. “The high-quality globalization of humanoid robots urgently requires a standardized management system with unified rules. This initiative not only provides the technical groundwork for international mutual recognition and cross-border circulation but also strengthens China's role in shaping global standards and competitiveness in the sector,” said Yu Xiuming.
GigaAI, a prominent Chinese robotics and artificial intelligence start up, introduced [4] the first general-purpose household humanoid robot in China named the SeeLight S1. This development came in partnership with the Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre and the Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Alliance. The robot will be available for families to test at no cost in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, starting in the first half of 2027. In 2024, the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China [5] proposed a nationwide rollout of digital IDs. The draft provision claims it would prevent the misuse of existing real-name registration systems by internet platforms and commercial entities, addressing privacy concerns and the risks of potential data leaks. The new Digital ID system is positioned as a voluntary program, offering users an additional layer of online identity by substituting their real names and phone numbers currently used for registration on internet platforms.
However, according to [6] a report from Tibcert titled New Digital ID proposal of China – A nail in the coffin for user privacy and online anonymity? China has emerged as a leader in utilizing digital technologies to control, monitor, and restrict the rights of its citizens and ethnic minorities. “Despite the government’s claim of pushing Digital IDs to protect the personal data of internet users from commercial entities, many experts don’t agree with the narrative. Academicians, researchers and lawyers believe that the claim of this digital ID program is a facade used by the government to regain more rigid and centralized control of individual or collective expressions online,” said the report.
“On a societal and national level, this new digital ID programme is yet another addition to China’s pre-existing use of technology and biometric surveillance against their citizens and oppressed minorities including Uyghurs and Tibetans. In times where the global market’s focus towards user privacy and security in technology sectors are on the rise, such vague digital IDs could pose huge challenges for Chinese technological entities to collaborate with the global technological market and align with pre-existing international security standards.” Another report from Tibet Watch states [7] that the Chinese government has increased its digital surveillance efforts in Tibet, as evidenced by the mandatory installation of the National Anti-Fraud Centre app on smartphones.
In a document [8] titled Weaponising Big Data: Decoding China’s digital surveillance in Tibet it states that people in Tibet are monitored through the devices in their pockets and surveillance cameras positioned outside their homes. Their realities are being analysed, often without their awareness, contributing to increased control under the Chinese Communist Party's system. “The integration of a panoply of advanced technologies in Tibet - AI-driven systems fusing facial recognition with internet browsing and app-based monitoring, to DNA and genomic surveillance, and GIS tracking data - underlines the emergence of a terrifying approach to governance in the 21st century. It uses machine learning to power systems that prioritise state control and suppression over individual liberties and self-determination,” said the Executive Summary.