Chinese smartphones face new hurdle for sales in the US

The US government may soon expand its crackdown on electronic devices made outside of the US. In line with this effort, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), on the instructions of US President Donald Trump, will soon decide whether electronics tested in “foreign countries that have not signed agreements to recognize American test labs and certification bodies” should be banned in the US.

The FCC recently announced that it would vote to stop recognizing foreign laboratories from testing devices to be sold and used in the US. The Commission has reasoned that 75% of all the devices sold in the US are tested in countries that refuse to “commit to reciprocal treatment of U.S.-based labs.” While the agency did not explicitly name any country, Reuters suggests the move specifically targets devices certified by Chinese labs. While it does not immediately ban or restrict the sales of products by Chinese companies, it does complicate the process of becoming eligible for selling in the US.

It further said it plans to seek comments from the public after the April 30 vote before enforcing the ban. Ahead of the vote, the FCC also plans to design a framework for lab testing within the US. The FCC Chairman Brendan Carr noted this move would “ensure integrity, security, and reciprocity in electronic device testing” and advance the agency’s action against “Bad Labs.”

The move follows a broader crackdown on labs owned by non-US entities, especially Chinese ones. In September last year, the FCC withdrew recognition of seven labs that it deemed were “controlled by the Chinese government.” The announcement was followed by several American retailers pulling “millions” of Chinese product listings from their websites in the following month.