WASHINGTON: In light of worsening US-China relations, Washington labeled Chinese technology companies, including Huawei, as a national Security threats.
“Federal Communications Commission (USA) Public safety and the Homeland Security Bureau today released a list of communications equipment and services that were considered a threat to national security … The list includes five Chinese companies that produce telecommunications equipment and services that have been found to pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security or the security of people in the United States, “the FCC said in a statement Friday.
President Joe Biden can continue his predecessor’s tough stance against rising China’s technological dominance. Companies include Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, along with ZTE, Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology and Dahua Technology.
“This list is a big step towards renewing trust in our communications networks. Americans rely more than ever on our networks to work, go to school, or access health care, and we need to be confident that these communications are safe and secure, ”said FCC President Jessica Rosenworcel. communiqué.
“This list provides meaningful guidance that will ensure that, as next-generation networks are built across the country, they do not repeat past mistakes and use equipment or services that pose a threat to U.S. national security or safety. and American security, “she added.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the designation reached a series of moves made by Washington against Huawei during the Trump administration, including banning US companies from using the company’s technology to build wireless networks and placing the company on a list of entities. which prevents the acquisition of US technology without government approval. Congress approved a US $ 1.9 billion fund to pay carriers to “break and replace” Huawei and ZTE equipment on US networks.
The United States is also seeking the extradition from Canada of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer, on charges of wire fraud – a major source of tension between the US and Chinese governments.
At a briefing earlier this month, State Department spokesman Ned Price said the administration is “concerned about the dangers of installing networks with equipment that can be manipulated, disrupted or even controlled by the People’s Republic of China, which, according to as we know, of course, it does not take into account human rights or privacy. ”
5G was also high on the agenda of a multilateral meeting on Friday between leaders of the United States, Japan, India and Australia – an alliance known as the Quad.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday that restrictions on Huawei’s suppliers once again show that the United States is “a reliable country with zero credibility,” adding that Washington must immediately stop oppressing Chinese companies and treat them as -a fair, just and non-discriminatory way. ”
Earlier this month, a US official said he expected the Biden administration to form a working group to deal with major cyber intrusions that Microsoft He said they were linked to China this week as relations between the two – Washington and Beijing – continue to spiral downward.
CNN, citing the US official, reported that there are about 30,000 affected customers in the US and 250,000 globally, although these numbers are expected to increase. However, the White House declined to comment on the number of victims affected.
In February, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) warned that the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to obtain US health data, especially DNA, by hacking had intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to The Hill, the agency noted that these efforts increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, with Chinese biotechnology group BGI offering Covid-19 test kits to most countries and setting up 18 test labs in just the last six months. an effort to obtain health data.
The NCSC wrote that US health data was an attractive target for the Chinese government, due to population diversity and the nation’s relatively lax security measures for personal data.
Under the Trump administration, ties between the two countries have deteriorated due to issues such as human rights violations in Xinjiang, violation of Hong Kong’s special status, allegations of unfair trade practices by Beijing, lack of transparency regarding the pandemic and China’s military aggression in various parts of the world.