The Chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Friday that several major U.S. online retail websites have removed millions of listings for prohibited Chinese electronic products as part of an ongoing crackdown by the agency.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said in an interview that the removed items were either on the U.S. list of barred equipment or had not been authorized by the agency. These include products such as home security cameras and smartwatches from companies including Huawei, Hangzhou Hikvision (002415.SZ), ZTE (000063.SZ), and Dahua Technology Company (002236.SZ).
Carr noted that companies are implementing new processes to prevent future listings of prohibited items due to increased FCC oversight.
“We’re going to keep our efforts up,” Carr said.
The FCC has issued a new national security notice reminding companies about the list of prohibited equipment, including video surveillance devices. Carr emphasized that these items could enable China to “surveil Americans, disrupt communications networks, and otherwise threaten U.S. national security.”
In recent years, U.S. agencies have taken a series of actions against Chinese technology companies — spanning sectors such as telecommunications, semiconductors, and vehicles — citing national security concerns. This latest initiative marks another step to prevent unauthorized Chinese electronics from entering the U.S. market.
Earlier this week, the FCC announced plans to vote later this month on tightening restrictions on telecommunications equipment manufactured by Chinese companies deemed national security risks, continuing a series of U.S. actions targeting Beijing.
Previously, the U.S. telecom regulator added several companies — including Huawei, ZTE (000063.SZ), China Mobile (600941.SS), and China Telecom (601728.SS) — to the so-called “Covered List.” This designation prohibits the FCC from authorizing the import or sale of new equipment from those companies.
The agency is scheduled to vote on October 28 on a proposal to ban the authorization of devices containing component parts listed on the Covered List. The new rules would also empower the FCC to prohibit the sale of previously authorized equipment from these companies in specific cases.
In March, the FCC revealed that it was investigating nine Chinese companies on the Covered List, including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications (002583.SZ), Dahua Technology Company (002236.SZ), Pacifica Networks/ComNet, and China Unicom (Americas) (0762.HK).
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment on the matter.
The FCC had earlier barred some Chinese companies from providing telecommunications services in the United States, citing national security risks. Last month, the agency began proceedings to withdraw recognition from seven test laboratories owned or controlled by the Chinese government, again citing concerns related to U.S. national security.
