US U.S. Federal Communications Commission considers revoking recognition for seven China-linked testing labs

On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission said it has opened a proceeding to revoke U.S. recognition for seven testing laboratories tied to the Chinese government, citing national security concerns.

In May, the agency approved rules blocking some China-based labs from certifying devices like phones, cameras, and computers for sale in the U.S.

The FCC added that recognition for four other Chinese labs has run out since May and will not be renewed, including two that had sought 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,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said.

Every electronic product headed for the United States must clear the FCC’s equipment authorization process before import. The agency estimates that about 75% of such devices are tested in labs located inside China.

As reported by Reuters, targets named by the FCC include 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.

Chinese embassy criticized U.S. for politicizing trade

The Chinese Embassy in Washington has said before that 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 previously said many of the labs appear to have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party, including links to state-owned enterprises or the Chinese military. The agency said these facilities have tested thousands of devices for the U.S. market in recent years.

In November 2022, the commission stopped approvals of new telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE, and also blocked telecom and video-surveillance gear from Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and Zhejiang Dahua Technology.

In March this year, the FCC said it was reviewing nine Chinese companies, including Huawei, Hikvision, China Mobile and China Telecom, to determine whether they were trying to get around U.S. restrictions.

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