Hong · Tom's Hardware
FCC votes to ban all Chinese labs from certifying electronics sold in the US due to national security concerns
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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously on Thursday to advance a proposal that would strip every testing lab in China and Hong Kong of its ability to certify electronics for sale in the U.S., according to a Reuters report.
Key facts
- Basic FCC certification testing runs between $400 and $1,300 at Chinese labs, compared with $3,000 to $4,000 at U.S. equivalents
- According to compliance data compiled by MarkReady, 126 of the FCC's 591 globally recognized test labs are located in mainland China or Hong Kong
- 27 of the affected facilities are Chinese subsidiaries of major Western testing firms, including Intertek, SGS, TUV Rheinland, and Bureau Veritas
- Thursday's vote opens a public comment period expected to last 60 to 90 days, followed by a final rule and transition period
Summary
The FCC estimates that roughly 75% of all U.S.-bound electronics are currently tested in Chinese facilities, a level that the agency now considers a national security risk. Every device that emits radio frequencies requires FCC equipment authorization before it can be legally sold in the U.S. That process requires testing by an FCC-recognized lab, and manufacturers have long relied on Chinese labs because they sit next to the factories that produce the hardware. According to compliance data compiled by MarkReady, 126 of the FCC's 591 globally recognized test labs are located in mainland China or Hong Kong. 50 of those are in Shenzhen alone, and the wider Pearl River Delta corridor accounts for 65% of the Chinese total.