US Regulator Moves to Ban Testing of Electronics in Chinese Labs Amid National Security Concerns

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States has voted to establish regulations that will prohibit Chinese laboratories from testing electronic devices intended for sale in the U.S. This applies to those labs that U.S. authorities consider a risk to national security.

Smartphones, cameras, computers, and other electronic products used in the U.S. must undergo FCC equipment authorization before being imported into the country. According to the commission, around 75% of all electronics are tested in labs located within China.

The regulator points out that these laboratories may have significant connections to the Chinese Communist Party, with some linked to state-owned enterprises and the military. Over the past few years, these labs have tested thousands of devices meant for the American market, as highlighted by the federal agency.

These labs serve as gateways to the telecommunications infrastructure of the U.S., stated FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. He warned that a lab affiliated with a foreign adversary could approve dangerous equipment entering the U.S. market.

At the end of 2022, the FCC prohibited the issuance of permits for the acquisition of telecommunications equipment from Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Dahua, and Hytera. Subsequently, the commission restricted the use of certain surveillance systems produced in China. In the spring of 2024, the FCC announced plans to ban the import of telecommunications equipment certified by Huawei and other subsidiaries.