FCC Expands Curbs on Chinese ‘Bad Labs,’ Denies 4 More Applications
Udumbara
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Earlier this month, the FCC took action against 11 labs controlled by China.
In its latest statement, the agency announced that lab recognition applications from four additional labs have been denied by the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET).
The FCC has so far “begun proceedings to withdraw recognition or denied applications” from 15 labs controlled by Beijing.
Private labs and certification entities oversee the testing and certification of all devices imported into the United States for sale, ensuring they do not contain any prohibited equipment that poses a threat to U.S. national security. These entities also ensure the devices comply with FCC regulations.
Denying China-controlled labs the testing and certification powers lowers the risk of U.S.-bound devices containing Chinese spy equipment.
“President [Donald] Trump is leading the charge to reshore America’s industrial capacity and safeguard our critical supply chains from foreign adversary nations,” said FCC chairman Brendan Carr.
“Today’s FCC action on ‘Bad Labs’ will continue to do just that.
“Foreign adversary governments should not own and control the labs that test the devices the FCC certifies as safe for the U.S. market. This is an important step in restoring trust in the Commission’s equipment authorization process and combating foreign adversary threats.”
In its latest action, OET denied the initial application for recognition from CCIC-CSA International Certification Co., Ltd, based in Guangdong, China.
OET also denied applications for lab renewal from the following Chinese entities: Industrial Internet Innovation Center (Shanghai), State Radio Monitoring Center, and Reliability Laboratory-New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd.
“These include entities that are connected to Chinese state-owned enterprises, involved in China’s Military-Civil Fusion apparatus through their apparent work with the CCP’s People’s Liberation Army, and even entities that are themselves Chinese state actors,” the FCC said.
“These labs have tested thousands of devices bound for the U.S. market over the last several years.”
For instance, products manufactured by Chinese surveillance companies Dahua and Hikvision are used by American schools, municipal buildings, and homes. These devices can capture video that can be sent to foreign servers, the commentary stated, adding that the two companies are blacklisted by the U.S. government.
Wi-Fi routers from Chinese companies TP-Link and Huawei have shown vulnerabilities that make them easy to hack, Walker and Love said.
Chinese company DJI’s drones, which are used by law enforcement, have been flagged by the War Department (the new official name for the Department of Defense) for sending data to China, the writers added.
“These vulnerabilities risk more than privacy; they’re a threat to national security. China’s ‘military-civil fusion’ strategy explicitly encourages companies to aid the state in acquiring foreign technology and intelligence. Meanwhile, security systems installed in government offices, power grids, and defense facilities could be exploited to surveil sensitive operations or disrupt vital systems,” Walker and Love wrote.
“As 5G and Internet of Things devices proliferate, the scope of this threat only grows. Firms such as Huawei, ZTE, and DJI don’t just make gadgets; they serve the geopolitical interests of an adversarial regime.”
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