A new proposal from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently caused a huge shock in the technology industry. The proposal plans to completely ban all laboratories in China from conducting access compliance testing on electronic equipment such as smartphones, cameras, and computers exported to the United States.
This move marks a significant expansion of the scope of the U.S. ban on China’s technology industry. Previously, the United States only implemented testing restrictions on some specific Chinese laboratories, but this proposal intends to expand the scope of the blockade to all testing institutions in China.
According to data disclosed by the FCC, about 75% of the world's electronic products currently complete relevant compliance testing in Chinese laboratories. If the ban is passed in a vote on April 30, the electronics industry chain, which originally relied heavily on testing in China, will face tremendous adjustment pressure.
In line with this ban, the FCC also proposes to simplify the approval process for laboratories in the United States or other countries considered safe. In this way, the United States intends to force global electronics manufacturing companies to withdraw their testing business originally conducted in China, thereby achieving the de-Chinaization of technology links.
This is not the only recent action by the United States. Prior to this, the FCC has repeatedly placed a number of well-known Chinese communications and surveillance equipment manufacturers on the regulatory list on the grounds of national security. The scope of the ban has gradually extended from the initial telecommunications equipment to multiple segments such as drones and consumer routers.
The U.S.’s recent regulatory actions also show a trend of being retroactive. The FCC has even proposed banning the import of Chinese equipment that had been approved for sale before the earlier ban took effect. In response to this attempt to trace and revoke legal authorization, the affected Chinese companies have clearly expressed their strong opposition.
Hikvision and other companies pointed out that such behavior of forcibly changing established legal rules and depriving existing legal authorizations is not only a suppression of Chinese companies, but also a serious damage to the global trade order and the spirit of the rule of law.
