US Expands Ban on Chinese Telecom and Surveillance Equipment Imports
News Desk
27 June 2026, 17:55
The United States is expanding restrictions on Chinese-made telecommunications and surveillance equipment, with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announcing a broader import ban covering additional products from several major Chinese technology companies.
The new rules, announced on Friday, extend the FCC's 2022 restrictions on equipment manufactured by Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua. Previously, the ban applied primarily to new product models introduced after late 2022. Under the updated order, older models of equipment intended for public safety, government facilities, critical infrastructure, and other national security-related uses will also be barred from being imported into the United States.
According to the FCC, the expanded restrictions will take effect in early July. The agency said the move is necessary to reduce potential risks to the U.S. communications sector and strengthen national security.
The order does not affect equipment that has already been purchased or installed. Existing users will be allowed to continue operating their devices.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington and the affected companies did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
Part of a Broader Technology Crackdown
The latest decision marks another step in Washington's broader effort to limit the presence of Chinese technology in critical U.S. infrastructure.
In recent months, the FCC has introduced a series of measures targeting Chinese-made electronics. In December, the agency banned imports of new models of Chinese drones, followed by restrictions on new consumer routers manufactured in China earlier this year. Those earlier measures, however, did not apply to older product models.
The FCC also voted last October to block approvals for new devices containing components from companies on its covered list while giving the agency greater authority to restrict certain products that had already received approval.
One of the companies affected by those rules, Hikvision, filed a lawsuit in December, arguing that the FCC had exceeded its legal authority in imposing the restrictions
.
Meanwhile, the FCC is also considering new measures that could prohibit U.S. telecommunications carriers from connecting with Chinese telecom operators. If adopted, the proposal could effectively prevent Chinese telecommunications companies from operating data centers in the United States.
The latest restrictions underscore the continuing technology and national security tensions between Washington and Beijing, as both countries increasingly tighten controls over telecommunications infrastructure, advanced technologies, and critical digital systems.
Source: Reuters
