US bans sale of Chinese tech from Huawei and ZTE due to ‘unacceptable’ national security risk

Banned Chinese companies include popular manufacturers of video surveillance cameras

Visitors walk past a Huawei store preparing to open at the Wushang Dream Plaza mall in Wuhan, China (Getty Images)

The US has outlawed the sale of Chinese-origin communications equipment made by Huawei and ZTE, prohibiting the use of some China-made surveillance systems due to an “unacceptable risk” to national security, in a fresh set of restrictions imposed on Beijing on Friday.

The Federal Communications Commission confirmed the move and said that its five-member panel voted unanimously to adopt new rules which will block the import or sale of certain technology products that threaten Washington’s critical infrastructure.

“The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorised for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here,” said FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel in a prepared statement.