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US Moves to Ban All Chinese Telecom Gear Over National Security Fears

The US Federal Communications Commission has proposed a complete ban on importing telecommunications and surveillance equipment from several Chinese companies, including Huawei and ZTE. This expands a 2022 ban that halted approvals of new models to now include previously authorized devices. The FCC states the action is necessary to protect national security, though already-purchased devices would remain usable. The move is the latest in a series of FCC actions targeting Chinese technology, following recent bans on drones and routers.

Key Points: US Proposes Total Ban on Chinese Telecom, Surveillance Equipment

  • Complete import ban proposed
  • Targets Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision
  • Builds on 2022 partial ban
  • Public comment period open
  • Part of wider tech crackdown
2 min read

US govt proposes expanding ban on Chinese tech equipment

The US FCC proposes a full import ban on telecom and surveillance gear from Huawei, ZTE, and others, citing national security risks to communications.

"necessary to protect national security by mitigating risks to the U.S. communications sector. - FCC"

New Delhi, April 4

United States' Federal Communications Commission proposed ban of the import of telecommunications and surveillance equipment of select Chinese companies deemed national security risks.

FCC had already in 2022 decided to halt approvals of new models into the United States' from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision and Dahua and now a complete ban including previously authorized devices still allowed into the US market is being proposed, a report from Channel News Asia (CNA) said.

Public comment as to the extension of the ban has been sought, as the FCC informed its finding that prohibiting continued importation and marketing of such equipment is "necessary to protect national security by mitigating risks to the U.S. communications sector."

The Chinese Embassy in Washington and Hikvision did not immediately comment, the report said adding, already‑purchased devices would remain usable, but the agency could bar the importation immediately after the order gets finalised "to avoid a rush to import new devices".

The proposal comes after a slew of FCC actions targeting Chinese technology, including bans on new models of drones in December and consumer routers last week.

In October, the FCC decided to block new approvals for devices with parts from companies on its Covered List and let the agency ban previously approved equipment in select instances.

Hikvision had filed a lawsuit in December challenging that FCC decision, citing authority overreach and sought "to retroactively curtain lawful authorizations without a sufficient legal or evidentiary basis".

A US appeals court in February rejected a bid by Hikvision to lift the 2022 FCC ban on approvals of its new video surveillance and telecommunications equipment.

In March, United States-based artificial intelligence firm Anthropic accused three Chinese unicorns- DeepSeek, Minimax and Moonshot AI - of having illegally extracted capabilities from its Claude model to advance their own systems.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
Interesting to see the US taking such a hardline stance. The lawsuit by Hikvision and its rejection shows this is a firm policy, not just posturing. It will be interesting to see how this impacts global supply chains and if other nations follow suit.
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Priya S
Security concerns are valid, but a complete ban feels extreme. Many small businesses and even government projects in India use this equipment because it's cost-effective. What is the alternative? Western gear is often 3-4 times more expensive. We need viable, affordable Indian options.
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Vikram M
The AI accusations at the end are the real story for me. If Chinese firms are illegally extracting capabilities, it's a serious issue beyond just hardware. Data and intellectual property security is paramount. India's AI mission must prioritize building secure, indigenous models.
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Rohit P
Good step by the US. We have seen vulnerabilities with Chinese tech in our border areas. Atmanirbhar Bharat is the only long-term solution. Jai Hind!
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Michael C
While I understand the security rationale, I hope this doesn't escalate into a broader tech cold war. Global innovation thrives on collaboration, even with competition. The focus should be on creating secure, auditable standards that all companies must adhere to, regardless of origin.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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