United States: The Biden Administration has prohibited the approval of new communications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE due to their “Unacceptable Risk” to US National Security.

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced that it had adopted the final rules, which also restrict the sale or import of equipment made by Chinese surveillance equipment manufacturer Dahua Technology, video surveillance firm Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and telecoms firm Hytera Communications Corp.

Washington has already stepped up its pressure on China’s internet giants as a result of worries that Beijing would use these companies to snoop on Americans.

“These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications,” FCC Chairwoman Ms. Jessica Rosenworcel cited in a statement.

Huawei declined to comment. ZTE, Dahua, Hytera and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for a response. Ms. Rosenworcel has circulated the proposed rule to the other three Commissioners for final approval.This rule effectively prevents companies from selling new equipment in the US.

The FCC declared that it was thinking of outlawing all equipment authorizations for all businesses on the covered list in June 2021. That came after a March 2021 designation of five Chinese companies; Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua, on the so-called “covered list” as showing a threat to national security under a 2019 law intended to protect US communications networks.

The decision made on November 25th was backed by all four Agency Commissioners, including two Republicans and two Democrats.

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