US bans Chinese telecoms equipment over security risk
Due to their “unacceptable risk” to the nation’s security, US officials have prohibited the import and sale of communications equipment made by Chinese companies ZTE and Huawei Technologies.
Due to their “unacceptable risk” to the nation’s security, US officials have prohibited the import and sale of communications equipment made by Chinese companies ZTE and Huawei Technologies.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had designated both corporations as potential threats, and the new regulations prevent the equipment from being authorised in the future. The Chinese companies Dahua Technology Co., Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Ltd., and Hytera Communications Corp. Ltd. which produce surveillance equipment as well as video surveillance equipment were also prohibited from sale or importation by the US FCC.
The action which comes amid a protracted standoff between the two largest economies in the world is the most recent in a series of steps taken to restrict Chinese telecom companies’ access to American networks.
In recent years, Chinese telecom firms and technology have drawn increased suspicion from US officials.
“The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorized for use within our borders,” said the commission’s chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement.
She added, the new regulations, are a component of continuous efforts to protect against security threats.
The FCC determined that items represent a risk to data security in a 4-0 decision. Export limits have been used in the past to cut off advanced equipment and software as well as critical access to China. Recently, US officials considered imposing limitations on TikTok due to concerns that Chinese authorities would use the video-sharing software to get US user data.
Previously, Washington had discouraged the use of Huawei technology in the private sector and forbade it from delivering systems to the US government out of concern that the company’s gear would be hacked by Chinese intelligence.
The Chinese company, which is also a leading smartphone brand, was cut off from Google’s Android mobile operating system in 2019 when it placed Huawei on a trade blacklist that prohibited US suppliers from doing business with it.
The big three state-owned mobile carriers in China have had their operations restricted by the US due to concerns about national security.