The U.S. government said it is banning telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from several prominent Chinese brands in an effort to protect the nation’s communications network. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously on Friday to expand its ban on the sale and import of Chinese technology from firms that pose an “unacceptable risk to the national security” of the United States.
The decision implements the directive in the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 signed by President Biden in November that places additional restrictions on companies including Huawei and ZTE, surveillance camera makers Hikvision and Dahua, and two-way radio manufacturer Hytera.
These organizations will be prohibited from exporting new products into the U.S. unless they assure that the devices “won’t be used for public safety, security of government facilities, and other national security purposes,” the FCC said. Existing equipment from these companies, which are all listed under the FCC’s “Covered List,” are not affected, but the regulator said it is possible existing authorizations could be revoked in the future.
