The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Monday that it has initiated steps to revoke recognition of seven testing facilities owned or influenced by the Chinese government.
The move, officials said, stems from national security concerns tied to U.S. communications infrastructure.
Back in May, the agency finalized regulations preventing Chinese-run laboratories deemed security threats from certifying electronic products—ranging from smartphones to computers—for entry into the American market.
Alongside this action, the FCC confirmed that recognition for four additional Chinese labs expired earlier this year and will not be reinstated, even for those that requested extensions.
“Foreign adversary governments should not own and control the labs that test the devices the FCC certifies as safe for the U.S. market,” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
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The Role of Chinese Labs in U.S. Electronics Approval
Before being imported, every electronic device must undergo the FCC’s authorization process. The agency estimates that approximately three-quarters of devices ultimately tested for U.S. certification are handled by laboratories based in China.
The FCC highlighted several companies under review, including the Chongqing Academy of Information and Communications; CQC Internet of Vehicles Technical Service Co; CVC Testing; TUV Rheinland-CCIC Ningbo Co; UL-CCIC; CESI (Guangzhou) Standards; China Academy of Information and Communications Technology; Shanghai Institute of Measurement and Testing Technology; and CCIC Southern Testing Co.
Requests for comment from these facilities went unanswered.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not issue an immediate response on Monday.
However, it has previously condemned the FCC’s stance, saying it opposes the United States “over-stretching the concept of national security, using national apparatus and long-arm jurisdiction to bring down Chinese companies.
We oppose turning trade and technological issues into political weapons.”
The FCC has long voiced concerns over what it describes as strong links between some labs and the Chinese Communist Party, including connections to state-owned enterprises and the military.
According to the agency, many of these facilities have overseen the certification of thousands of devices intended for the U.S. consumer market.
This action follows a series of restrictions dating back to November 2022, when the FCC prohibited approvals of new telecom and surveillance products from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and Zhejiang Dahua Technology.
Earlier this year, in March, the FCC announced investigations into nine Chinese companies—including Huawei, Hikvision, China Mobile, and China Telecom—over concerns they were attempting to bypass U.S. restrictions.
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