FCC Votes to Advance Ban on Chinese Lab Certifications, Continuing Decoupling from Beijing

WASHINGTON (Central News Agency) — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today voted to advance a proposal that would substantially ban Chinese laboratories from testing electronic equipment intended for use in the U.S., including smartphones and cameras.

Agence France-Presse reported that the FCC last year banned laboratories owned or controlled by "foreign adversaries" from testing electronic products sold in the U.S. The FCC stated that the new proposal, which is currently being voted on, aims to "prioritize national security."

If this proposal is passed, the scope of U.S. restrictions on Chinese electronic products will be greater than ever before.

The FCC estimates that about 75% of certified equipment in the U.S. is tested in Chinese certification laboratories.

The FCC stated that the latest proposal will prohibit the accreditation of testing laboratories and certification bodies in countries that "have not signed mutual recognition agreements or other equivalent reciprocal trade agreements with the United States."

According to the FCC website, China has not signed such an agreement.

If the proposal is finally passed, products tested and certified by such laboratories will be gradually phased out of the market within two years after the new regulations come into effect.

In recent years, the FCC has continued to take measures to exclude Chinese entities from the U.S. supply chain.

In March this year, the FCC also rejected a batch of new consumer-grade routers manufactured by foreign companies, citing national security concerns.

Companies must first apply for an exemption from U.S. authorities for their new routers.

The FCC also announced today that it has passed an order to establish a fast-track review mechanism for equipment tested in trusted laboratories, meaning those in the U.S. or "equivalent international locations." (Compiled by Chu Hsiang-ping) 1150501

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