The Federal Communications Commission has banned the sale and importation of telecommunications equipment from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns.
The new bans come nearly a year after President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that prevented the authorization of telecommunication devices that pose a national security risk.
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“The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorized for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a press release Friday. “These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications.”
The announcement Friday escalates the FCC’s restrictions on the Chinese tech giants, which most recently saw their ability to work with U.S. companies majorly restricted by a 2019 executive order under then-President Donald Trump.
Huawei and ZTE are two of the largest telecommunication companies globally but have come under intense examination by Western countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, because of ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
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Chinese companies have come under further scrutiny for their ties to the country’s government, with the social media app TikTok being the most high-profile to provoke security concerns.
