US security fears spark Chinese tech bans

The United States is cracking down on Chinese telecom equipment makers. Photo: AAP
The Biden administration has banned approvals of new telecommunications equipment from Chinaās Huawei Technologies and ZTE because they pose āan unacceptable riskā to United States national security.
The US Federal Communications Commission said on Friday it had adopted the final rules, which also bar the sale or import of equipment made by Chinaās surveillance equipment maker Dahua Technology Co, video surveillance firm Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co Ltd and telecoms firm Hytera Communications Corp Ltd.
The move represents Washingtonās latest crackdown on the Chinese tech giants amid fears Beijing could use Chinese tech companies to spy on Americans.
āThese new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications,ā FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.
Huawei declined to comment.
ZTE, Dahua, Hikvision and Hytera did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Rosenworcel circulated the proposed measure, which effectively bars the firms from selling new equipment in the US, to the other three commissioners for final approval last month.
The FCC said in June 2021 it was considering banning all equipment authorisations for all companies on the covered list.
That came after a March 2021 designation of five Chinese companies on the so-called ācovered listā as posing a threat to national security under a 2019 law aimed at protecting US communications networks: Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua.
All four commissioners at the agency, including two Republicans and two Democrats, supported Fridayās move.
ā AAP








