Humanoid robot soldiers could cause 'indiscriminate killings': China's PLA

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has issued a cautionary analysis regarding the deployment of humanoid robot soldiers, emphasizing the urgent need for ethical and legal frameworks to govern their use in warfare. Published in the PLA Daily, the article highlights that while humanoid robots offer tactical advantages—such as mechanical dexterity and the ability to perform complex military tasks beyond current unmanned systems—their use raises serious moral concerns. Specifically, the PLA warns that these robots could cause “indiscriminate killings and accidental deaths,” violating fundamental ethical principles like Asimov’s First Law of Robotics, which prohibits robots from harming humans. The PLA authors argue that military humanoid robots should be designed to obey commands, respect human life, and autonomously prevent excessive or unlawful violence. Despite their potential, humanoid robots are viewed as complementary tools rather than replacements for existing unmanned systems, due to their high cost and technological complexity. China is actively advancing in this field, with domestic tech firms unveiling versatile humanoid