US Strengthens Sanctions on Chinese Telecom Equipment... Huawei, ZTE, and Others Blacklisted

5 Chinese Companies Included in the List
FCC Acting Chair: "We Will Not Repeat Mistakes"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] The United States is tightening sanctions, claiming that Chinese telecommunications equipment poses a threat to U.S. national security. Five companies, including the world's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei and ZTE, have been included on the list.

According to foreign media on the 12th (local time), the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated five Chinese companies?Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua?as threats to national security.

The FCC explained that these companies are designated as threats to national security under the "Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act," enacted in 2019 to protect U.S. telecommunications networks. This law obliges the FCC to identify companies that produce or provide telecommunications equipment and services that pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security or the security and safety of Americans.

Jessica Rosenworcel, Acting Chair of the FCC, stated, "The list will provide meaningful guidance to ensure that as next-generation communication networks are built across the United States, mistakes are not repeated and equipment and services that threaten U.S. national security or the security and safety of Americans are not used."

Earlier, last year, the FCC also designated Huawei and ZTE as national security threats, resulting in U.S. companies purchasing equipment from these firms being ineligible to use $8.3 billion in government funds. Huawei filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals last month in response to this designation.

The sanctions targeting Chinese information technology (IT) companies such as Huawei, initiated during former President Donald Trump's administration, are understood to be continuing under the Joe Biden administration. On the 11th, the Biden administration implemented measures to tighten export approval conditions already imposed by restricting the supply of items that can be used in Huawei's 5G (fifth-generation mobile communication) devices.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.