The top US telecoms regulator has banned China's Huawei and ZTE from selling equipment in the US, citing national security concerns. The move could further heighten tensions between the U.S. and China.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the move on Friday, calling it the latest effort by U.S. authorities to "create a safer and more resilient (telecommunication industry) supply chain."
The FCC said the move covers both equipment that goes into telecommunications networks, as well as consumer-facing cellphones, cameras and WiFi routers, including rebranded products.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a statement on November 25 announcing that the agency has adopted new rules prohibiting the importation or sale of communications equipment deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security in the United States. The new rules prohibit Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Hytera and Zhejiang Dahua, as well as their subsidiaries and affiliates, from selling equipment in the United States.
"The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications devices are not authorized for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here," FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. ". "These new rules are an important part of our ongoing efforts to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications," Rosenworcel added.
Before the FCC made this decision, five companies, Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Hytera and Zhejiang Dahua, had been included in the list of the "Secure and Trusted Communications Network Act of 2019". The law calls for prohibiting federal subsidies to purchase communications equipment or services that pose a national security risk, and establishes a $1 billion compensation plan to help small, remote telecom operators replace "suspicious network equipment," aiming to provide the United States with a secure and trusted network surroundings.
The new rule implements a directive from the Security Device Act of 2021, which President Joe Biden signed into law last November, which states that the FCC will no longer review or approve any device authorization application that poses an unacceptable risk to national security.
None of the five companies immediately responded to CNN's request for comment, and FCC Chairman Rosenworcel, a Democrat, circulated the proposed measure to the rest of the commission last month, effectively banning These companies sell new devices in the United States. FCC also seeks comments on future actions related to existing authorizations for corporate devices on the list.
