US targets China’s tech growth with ban expansion

US is planning a ban expansion to put pressure on Huawei and some other top companies that are contributing to China’s tech growth. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has recently mentioned updated rules on China’s import policy. On June 26, the FCC announced that it is expanding the 2022 ban policy on equipment and products from certain Chinese firms to crack down on their rapid progress. In 2022, the Federal Communications Commission imposed a ban on various new telecommunication models and video surveillance equipment made by Chinese firms. These companies include Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua. In the latest scenario, the ban focuses on old models alongside those made in late 2022. As China’s tech growth is accelerating, the US is targeting it with the ban expansion. FCC said: “...it is necessary to protect national security by mitigating risks to the US communications sector. The ban also looks after public safety, security of government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes.” Inputs further reveal that the US will expand the ban in July to prevent a risk to national security. The Federal Communications Commission added that it would enable American firms to continue to use the equipment they already have in their inventory. Note that the new regulations won’t ban imports of prior models of drones and routers. Though it would affect other old models and equipment sales to foreign countries. FCC has taken such measures several times in the name of national security risk. It has banned several sales of new Chinese drone models in December last year. Besides, the commission also blocked China-made consumer routers, connecting phones, and smart devices to the internet in March. At present, the FCC is planning to restrict US telecommunication carriers from interconnecting with Chinese telecom firms. Doing so will prohibit China’s telecoms from managing US data centers.