‘National Security Risk’: U.S. Bans Huawei, ZTE Equipment Sales

The Biden administration has banned approval of new telecom equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE because they pose “an unacceptable risk” to U.S. national security. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Friday it had adopted the final rules, which also bar the sale or import of equipment made by Chinese surveillance equipment maker Dahua Technology Co,, video surveillance firm Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co Ltd and telecom firm Hytera Communications Corp Ltd. The move represents Washington’s latest crackdown on Chinese tech giants amid fears that Beijing could use them to spy on Americans. “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. She circulated the proposed measure, which effectively bars the firms from selling new equipment in the United States, to the other three commissioners for final approval last month. All four commissioners at the agency—two Republicans and two Democrats—supported the move, reports Reuters.