FCC votes to bar Chinese labs from testing US tech if they’ve been deemed security risks

The Federal Communications Commission voted 4-0 on Thursday to finalise rules barring Chinese labs deemed risks to US national security from testing electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras and computers for use in the United States.

All electronics used in the United States must go through the FCC’s equipment authorisation process before they can be imported.

The FCC says about 75 per cent of all electronics are tested in labs located inside China. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.

The FCC said it had found that many currently recognised labs potentially have deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party, including some connected to Chinese state-owned-enterprises or the Chinese military.

These labs have tested thousands of devices bound for the US market over the last several years, the agency added.

“These labs provide a gateway into the US telecommunications infrastructure,” FCC Chair Brendan Carr said on Thursday.