US bans Huawei and ZTE equipment sales

The Biden administration has banned the approval of new telecommunications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE because they pose an “unacceptable risk” to US national security.

China’s surveillance equipment manufacturer Dahua Technology, video surveillance firm Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and telecom firm Hytera Communications have also passed final rules banning the sale or import of equipment manufactured by the US Federal Communications Commission, the US Federal Communications Commission said on Friday, November 25.

The move represents Washington’s latest crackdown on Chinese tech giants amid fears Beijing could use Chinese tech companies to spy on Americans. “These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications,” FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. Said.

Huawei declined to comment. ZTE, Dahua, Hikvision, and Hytera did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rosenworcel handed out the proposed measure, which effectively blocks firms from selling new equipment in the US, to three other commissioners for final approval last month.

The FCC said in June 2021 it is considering banning all equipment authorizations for all companies on the covered list.

This comes after five Chinese companies were placed on the so-called “closed list” in March 2021 as a threat to national security under the 2019 law aimed at protecting US communications networks: Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua.

All four commissioners in the agency, including two Republicans and two Democrats, supported Friday’s move.

source: Reuters/zl