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Huawei, ZTE Equipment Sales Banned by US Over Security Risks

The move is latest step in Washington’s crackdown on Chinese tech giants amid fears the firms would spy on Americans for Beijing


Huawei logo seen in the backdrop of a US flag
Chinese tech giant Huawei has been sanctioned by the US since 2019. Photo: Reuters.

 

The US has rubber-stamped new rules banning approvals of new telecoms equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE claiming they pose “an unacceptable risk” to US national security.

The United States will also bar the sale or import of equipment made by China’s surveillance equipment maker Dahua Technology, video surveillance firm Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology and telecoms firm Hytera Communications, the US Federal Communications Commission announced on Friday.

The move represents Washington’s latest crackdown on the Chinese tech giants amid fears that Beijing could use Chinese tech companies to spy on Americans.

 

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

Huawei declined to comment. ZTE, Dahua, Hikvision and Hytera did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Rosenworcel circulated the proposed measure, which effectively bars the firms from selling new equipment in the US, to the other three commissioners for final approval last month.

The FCC said in June 2021 it was considering banning all equipment authorisations for all companies on the covered list.

That came after a March 2021 designation of five Chinese companies on the so-called “covered list” as posing a threat to national security under a 2019 law aimed at protecting US communications networks, namely Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua.

 

  • Reuters with additional editing by Sean O’Meara

 

Read more:

US to Reject ‘Untrustworthy’ New Huawei, ZTE Equipment

Huawei Comeback Drive Fuelled by Hit EV and Patriotic Fervour

China’s Far East Accused of Helping ZTE Break US Export Rules

 

 

Sean O'Meara

Sean O'Meara is an Editor at Asia Financial. He has been a newspaper man for more than 30 years, working at local, regional and national titles in the UK as a writer, sub-editor, page designer and print editor. A football, cricket and rugby fan, he has a particular interest in sports finance.