Washington (EFE).- The Federal Communications Commission of the United States (FCC, for its acronym in English) announces this Friday the veto on the import and sale in the country of telecommunications products from Chinese manufacturers Huawei and ZTE for consider them a threat to national security.
The industry regulator noted in its statement that this is the latest step to protect US communications networks by ensuring the use of “untrusted” equipment is not permitted at the within its borders.
The ban includes communications equipment from other Chinese companies Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and Dahua Technology and their affiliates, unless they specifically assure the FCC that they will not be used for public safety, security of government facilities and other national security objectives.
“Our decision, unanimous, is the first time in FCC history that we have voted to ban the authorization of new equipment based on national security concerns,” said one of the five members of the Commission, Brendan Carr.
The order validated on Friday has the power to revoke existing authorizations, a right that will not be exercised at the moment, but which Carr hoped to end up doing “soon”.
Huawei and ZTE, a threat to national security
FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel added in the FCC’s statement that the new rules are part of its ongoing actions “to protect the American people from telecommunications-related national security threats.”
US President Joe Biden had signed the Secure Equipment Act in November 2021, a new effort by his administration to take action against Chinese telecommunications and technology companies that sought to block those deemed a national threat from receiving new licenses.
Restrictions on Chinese technology intensified under Republican Donald Trump’s tenure (2017-2021) and continued under the current White House tenant, leading China in the past to lament that Washington carries a “unfounded” prejudice to their companies, as indicated for example in February by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.