FCC Moves to Strengthen Tech Security with New Chinese Equipment Bans

The FCC has voted to advance proposals that would prohibit Chinese labs from testing electronics for U.S. use and bar certain Chinese telecom companies from operating data centers in the U.S. Additionally, the FCC is considering extending restrictions to secure U.S. networks from potential national security threats.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously voted on Thursday to advance a proposal which would ban Chinese laboratories from testing electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras, and computers for use within the United States.

This move is part of an effort to streamline the approval process exclusively for devices tested in American laboratories or those from countries deemed not to pose national security threats, as currently, a staggering 75% of U.S. electronics undergo testing in China.

In addition to this proposal, the FCC, by a 3-0 vote, also advanced a motion prohibiting China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom from operating data centers in the U.S., along with potential bans on interconnecting with firms on its national security 'Covered List'.