In recent years, Chinese telecommunications firms and technologies have come under increasing scrutiny from US officials. On Friday, US authorities imposed a ban on the import and sale of communications equipment that they assessed to pose “an unacceptable risk to national security,” including equipment made by Chinese tech giants ZTE and Huawei Technologies. The decision, which comes during a prolonged dispute 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 United States networks.
What Led to the Prohibition on Communications Gear
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. A leading smartphone manufacturer from China, Huawei, was cut off from Google’s Android mobile operating system in 2019 when it was placed on a trade blacklist that prevented US suppliers from doing business with it. The three major state-owned mobile carriers in China have had their operations restricted by the US due to concerns about national security. According to an AFP report, FCC’s chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, said in a statement that the agency is dedicated to defending US national security by making sure that dubious communications technology is not permitted for use within US borders. The new regulations, she continued, are a component of continuous efforts to protect against security threats. Companies, including video security equipment manufacturers Dahua Technology and Hangzhou Hikvision, are also impacted by the decree. The FCC announced on Friday that it was also looking for feedback on potential actions involving current authorisations.
