The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it is banning telecommunications and video equipment from China, including those made by tech giants such as Huawei and ZTE.
The FCC cited an “unacceptable risk to national security,” after it voted unanimously to block any imports of the targeted products. The list of banned products also included manufacturers Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua, among others.
According to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, quoted in an official statement; “The action we take covers base station equipment that goes into our networks. “It covers phones, cameras, and Wi-Fi routers that go into our homes. And it covers re-branded or ‘white label’ equipment that is developed for the marketplace, FCC chairwoman further added.
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FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr described the decision as “bipartisan,” adding that it is the first time in FCC history that the commission has voted to prohibit the use of communications and electronics equipment based on national security concerns.
Tensions between the US and China in the tech sector are nothing new. US security officials have been warning that 5G equipment from Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei could be used to collect sensitive information.
The Trump administration famously imposed heavy restrictions on Huawei in 2020, cutting it off from working with vital American technologies, including Google’s smartphone services.
The US also prohibited worldwide vendors from using American technology to produce components for Huawei, cutting off the Chinese giant’s access to the global supply chain.
Earlier this year, Canada joined the US in banning 5G networks built by Huawei.
The Chinese manufacturer is one of the world’s biggest companies. Recently, they renewed their commitment to bring 5G technologies to Morocco and North Africa.
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