U.S. bans Huawei, ZTE tools gross sales, citing nationwide safety danger

By Diane Bartz and Alexandra Alper

(Reuters) -The Biden administration has banned approvals of latest telecommunications tools from China’s Huawei Applied sciences and ZTE (HK:) as a result of they pose “an unacceptable danger” to U.S. nationwide safety.

The U.S. Federal Communications Fee mentioned on Friday it had adopted the ultimate guidelines, which additionally bar the sale or import of kit made by Chinese language surveillance tools maker Dahua Know-how Co, video surveillance agency Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Know-how Co Ltd and telecoms agency Hytera Communications Corp Ltd.

The transfer represents Washington’s newest crackdown on the Chinese language tech giants amid fears that Beijing may use them to spy on People.

“These new guidelines are an vital a part of our ongoing actions to guard the American individuals from nationwide safety threats involving telecommunications,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel mentioned in a press release.

Huawei declined to remark. ZTE, Dahua, Hytera and the Chinese language embassy in Washington didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Hikvision mentioned in a press release that its merchandise do not threaten U.S. safety.

“This determination by the FCC will do nothing to guard U.S. nationwide safety, however will do an important deal to make it extra dangerous and costlier for U.S. small companies, native authorities, faculty districts, and particular person customers to guard themselves, their properties, companies and property,” Hikvision mentioned, including that it’ll proceed to serve U.S. clients “in full compliance” with U.S. laws.

Rosenworcel circulated the proposed measure, which successfully bars the companies from promoting new tools in the US, to the opposite three commissioners for last approval final month.

The FCC mentioned in June 2021 it was contemplating banning all tools authorizations for all firms on the lined listing.

That got here after a March 2021 designation of 5 Chinese language firms on the so-called “lined listing” as posing a risk to nationwide safety beneath a 2019 regulation geared toward defending U.S. communications networks: Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua.

All 4 commissioners on the company, together with two Republicans and two Democrats, supported Friday’s transfer. The company mentioned it has authority to revoke prior authorizations, however declined to take action.