U.S. plans restrictions on imports of Chinese drones and heavy-duty vehicles

The Trump administration is preparing to introduce new rules that would restrict or potentially block imports of Chinese-made drones and medium to heavy-duty vehicles, citing national security concerns.

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Friday it expects to issue the rules as soon as this month, targeting risks linked to information and communications technology used in drones and their supply chains, as well as vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds from China and other “foreign adversaries.” Specific details of the measures were not provided.

Neither the Commerce Department nor the Chinese Embassy in Washington immediately commented.

Chinese products dominate the U.S. commercial drone market, with more than half of sales coming from DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer.

The proposed restrictions on drones and heavy-duty vehicles build on earlier measures already planned for cars and smaller trucks.

In January, Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration finalised rules that will effectively ban nearly all Chinese-made cars and trucks from entering the U.S. by late 2026, part of a wider crackdown on Chinese vehicle software and hardware.

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