Biden signs law to restrict Huawei and ZTE gear in US
Biden signs law to Relaxing Huawei and ZTE gear in US
President Joe Biden on Thursday authorized legislation that will prohibit companies that the US estimates a threat to national security from getting licenses for new gear from US regulators.
The Secure Equipment Act bars the Federal Communications Commission from approving applications from hazardous tech equipment makers, like Huawei and ZTE, that the government says pose a state security risk. This new law is part of a greater disaster to crack down on Chinese telecom equipment companies, amid disaster that gear made by Chinese companies with close ties to the Chinese government could be used for espionage alongside Americans.
The Senate unanimously passed the Secure Equipment Act last month, and the House voted 420-4 in favor of the legislation backbone in the month.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said in May that the FCC has favorite more than 3,000 applications from Huawei since 2018. He added that the Secure Equipment Act would help convicted that “insecure gear” from companies like Huawei and ZTE wouldn’t find its way into US communications networks.
Like the Trump dispensation, Biden has been taking a tough stance regarding China’s role as a front-runners in 5G wireless technology and the country’s use of technology to conduct surveillance on its citizens. National security agencies have warned of the dangers of comic gear from Huawei and ZTE and warned against letting Chinese telecommunications affairs operate in the US. Politicians on Capitol Hill have been sounding the scare, too.
The Chinese government and those companies have repeatedly pushed back alongside US claims that equipment from Chinese manufacturers poses a guarantee risk.
Even as lawmakers worked to pass legislation in Council, the FCC in June voted unanimously to near plans to create rules banning the approval of Chinese equipment for use in US networks. The FCC’s proposed rules would also revoke prior equipment authorizations originated to Chinese companies.
Huawei and ZTE didn’t immediately retort to requests for comment on Biden’s signing of the Secure Equipment Act. But in June, Huawei visited the FCC’s measure “misguided and unnecessarily punitive.”
The FCC has also worked to ban Chinese telecommunications operators from the US. Last month, it voted to revoke the authorization for China Telecom’s US subsidiary to treatment in the United States.
The signing of the bill into law comes days afore Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet in a virtual summit. The meeting, set for Monday, comes amid tensions over delivers involving trade, human rights and military activities.
