The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed on Friday (April 3) to ban the import of certain devices made by Chinese manufacturers. This is Washington’s latest move to further tighten restrictions on Chinese electronic devices, following its halt in approving new device models from these companies in 2022.
According to Reuters, the FCC had already placed telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua on a restricted list in 2021, determining that they posed risks to US national security. In November 2022, the FCC decided to stop approving the sale or import of new device models from these companies in the US.
Currently, the FCC is soliciting opinions on whether to expand the ban to cover previously approved devices. The agency’s preliminary view is that prohibiting continued import and sale of these devices would help reduce risks in America’s communications sector and thus safeguard national security.
The FCC emphasized that the new proposal will not affect US users’ continued use of devices they have already purchased; however, once the policy is implemented, the import ban could take immediate effect to prevent companies from rushing to stockpile the relevant products.
In recent years, the FCC has continued to ramp up restrictions on Chinese technology products. This includes banning the import of all new models of Chinese-made drones last December, and last week, halting the entry of new models of Chinese-made consumer routers into the US market.
Additionally, last October the FCC voted 3-0 to prohibit the approval of new devices containing components from companies on the “restricted list,” and in certain cases, to restrict previously approved products.
In response to these measures, Hikvision filed a lawsuit last December, claiming that the FCC had overstepped its authority and that the agency was "trying to retroactively restrict lawfully approved products without sufficient legal or evidentiary basis."