The Biden administration has blocked the approval of new telecommunications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE because it poses an “unacceptable risk” to the national security of the United States (US).
The US Federal Communications Commission said on Friday it had adopted final rules that also bar the sale or import of equipment made by Chinese video surveillance equipment maker Dahua Technology Co, video surveillance company Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co Ltd and telecommunications company Hytera Communications Corp Ltd. .
The move represents Washington’s latest crackdown on Chinese tech giants amid concerns that Beijing may be using Chinese tech companies to spy on Americans.
“These new rules are an important part of our ongoing efforts to protect the American people from national security threats related to telecommunications,” said FCC Chair Jessica Rosenwortzel.
Huawei declined to comment. ZTE, Dahua, Hikvision and Hytera did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Rosenworcel sent the proposed measure, which would effectively bar the firms from selling new equipment in the United States, to the other three commissioners for final approval last month.
In June 2021, the FCC said it was considering banning all equipment authorizations for all companies on the covered list.
This comes after five Chinese companies were placed on the so-called “national security threat list” in March 2021 under a 2019 law aimed at protecting US communications networks: Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua.
All four of the agency’s commissioners, including two Republicans and two Democrats, supported Friday’s move.
