The U.S Has Banned Huawei And ZTE Telecom Devices Over National Security Risk

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States has banned telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from several Chinese businesses, including Huawei and ZTE, due to national security concerns, the agency announced on Friday.

The U.S. government has consistently targeted Huawei and ZTE over security concerns. However, the prohibition also prohibits Chinese companies Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and Dahua from selling equipment in the United States.

The measure is the latest in Washington’s campaign on Chinese tech giants amid concerns that Beijing may employ Chinese firms to spy on Americans.

“The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorized for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a press release.

“These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications.”

Last month, Rosenworcel sent the new proposal, which effectively prohibits the companies from selling new equipment in the United States to the other three commissioners for final approval.

The FCC announced in June 2021 that it was considering banning all equipment authorizations for all businesses on the covered list.

This came after a 2019 bill intended to protect U.S. communications networks designated five Chinese companies as posing a threat to national security in March 2021: Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp., Hikvision, and Dahua.

All four agency commissioners, including two Republicans and two Democrats, approved the proposal.