US bans import of more Chinese technology products; know which ones

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – ⁠The United States Federal Communications Commission announced on Friday that it will ban the ‌import of more equipment from a group of Chinese manufacturers, the latest move by Washington to crack down on ‌electronic equipment made in China.

The move expands an FCC ban imposed in 2022 on new models of telecommunications and video surveillance equipment made by Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision and Dahua, citing risks to US national security.

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The ban ⁠now ‌includes older models, not just those designed from ⁠late 2022, of equipment used for “public safety, government facilities security, physical surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes,” the FCC said.

The extension of the ban is expected to come into force at the beginning of July. The FCC said the measure ‘is necessary to protect national security by mitigating risks to the US communications sector.’

The Chinese Embassy in Washington and the companies did not immediately respond to inquiries.

The FCC said it would allow Americans to continue using the equipment they already have.

The FCC has taken a series of measures targeting Chinese technology, including banning the import of all new models of Chinese drones in December. In March, it banned the import of new models of Chinese-made home routers, the devices that connect computers, phones and smart devices to the internet.

The new order does not prohibit the import of previous models of drones and routers.

In October, the FCC voted unanimously (3-0) to block new approvals of devices with parts from companies on its list and allow the agency to ban previously approved equipment in some cases.

In December, Hikvision filed ⁠a lawsuit challenging this decision, claiming that the agency exceeded its authority ⁠and had no grounds for the move.

The FCC is also considering banning US telecommunications carriers from interconnecting with Chinese telecommunications companies, which would effectively prevent Chinese telecommunications companies from operating data centers in the US.