US imposes a ban on Huawei and ZTE equipment because of security concerns
The import and sale of communications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE was prohibited, according to US authorities, who made the announcement on Friday.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has designated both businesses as potential threats, and the new regulations forbid the use of their equipment in the future.
The decision, which comes during a protracted impasse between the two largest economies in the world, is the most recent in a series of steps taken to restrict access of Chinese telecom corporations to US networks.
In recent years, Chinese telecom firms and technologies have drawn increased suspicion from US officials.
The FCC’s chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, stated in a statement, “The FCC is dedicated to preserving our national security by ensuring that unreliable communications equipment is not permitted for use within our borders.
The new regulations, she continued, are a component of continuous efforts to protect against security threats.
When contacted by AFP over the prohibition, a Huawei spokeswoman declined to comment.
Other businesses are also impacted by the decree, including Dahua Technology and Hangzhou Hikvision, manufacturers of video surveillance systems.
The FCC announced on Friday that it was also looking for feedback on potential actions involving current authorizations.
Previously, Washington had discouraged the use of Huawei technology in the private sector and forbade it from delivering systems to the US government out of concern that the company’s gear would be hacked by Chinese intelligence.
The Chinese company, which is also a leading smartphone brand, was cut off from Google’s Android mobile operating system in 2019 after it placed Huawei on a trade blacklist that prohibited US suppliers from doing business with it.
The top three state-owned mobile carriers in China have had their operations restricted by the United States due to concerns about national security.
