US cracks down on Chinese labs amid spy equipment fears

Washington, DC [US], September 28 (ANI): The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has blocked a second wave of applications from laboratories controlled by China, part of a sweeping effort to curb foreign influence over electronics testing in the United States, The Epoch Times reported.

According to The Epoch Times, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) rejected recognition applications from four Chinese entities. These included CCIC-CSA International Certification Co., Ltd. of Guangdong, Industrial Internet Innovation Centre (Shanghai), State Radio Monitoring Centre, and Reliability Laboratory-New H3C Technologies Co., Ltd.

Earlier this month, the agency had taken action against 11 other labs controlled by Beijing. In total, the FCC has now denied applications or initiated withdrawal proceedings against 15 Chinese laboratories.

Private testing and certification laboratories play a vital role in ensuring that electronics imported into the US comply with FCC regulations. These rules are intended to prevent the inclusion of prohibited components that could pose national security risks.

By barring Chinese-controlled labs from certifying US-bound devices, the FCC aims to reduce the risk of spyware or other hidden threats being embedded in electronics.

The latest actions follow FCC rules adopted on May 22, which prohibit "bad labs" with ties to foreign adversaries from participating in electronics testing in the US. At the time, the FCC pointed out that nearly 75 per cent of global electronics were tested in Chinese laboratories. Some of these facilities are linked to Chinese state-owned enterprises, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and Beijing's Military-Civil Fusion strategy, The Epoch Times reported.

Security experts have warned that heavy reliance on Chinese-made electronics exposes US systems to potential exploitation. Russ Walker, executive director of the Rainey Freedom Project, and Chet Love, managing partner of Cornerstone Group International, raised concerns over products from Chinese surveillance firms Dahua and Hikvision.

They also flagged risks from routers manufactured by TP-Link and Huawei, as well as DJI drones. These devices, currently in use across American schools, municipal buildings, and law enforcement agencies, could transmit sensitive data to China, The Epoch Times reported. (ANI)

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