US FCC moves to ban Chinese testing labs, disrupting global electronics certification

The US Federal Communications Commission is planning to extend restrictions on Chinese testing laboratories, potentially reshaping electronics certification processes and increasing costs for manufacturers amid security concerns.

The US Federal Communications Commission is preparing to widen its restrictions on Chinese testing facilities, in a move that could reshape how electronics are certified for sale in the American market. According to reporting from Reuters carried by Investing.com, the commission plans to vote this month on a proposal that would bar laboratories in China from testing devices such as smartphones, cameras and computers destined for US consumers.

The issue centres on FCC equipment authorisation, the clearance process required for any device that emits radio frequencies before it can be legally sold in the United States. Industry reporting says roughly three-quarters of US-bound electronics are currently tested in Chinese laboratories, largely because those facilities are close to the factories assembling the hardware. The commission now views that concentration as a national security vulnerability, particularly where labs may have ties to state-owned firms or other entities the agency considers security risks.

The proposed change would significantly broaden earlier action taken by the FCC. Reuters said the agency had already barred labs owned or controlled by the Chinese government, but that many China-based facilities continued to handle American-bound products. The new measure would extend the restrictions to all Chinese labs, including those run by major international testing groups with operations in China, such as Intertek, SGS, TUV Rheinland and Bureau Veritas, according to the reporting. FCC chair Brendan Carr has argued that foreign-lab dependence leaves the US exposed to insecure equipment entering critical communications networks.

Any shift away from Chinese testing would also carry practical and financial consequences for manufacturers. Testing fees at Chinese laboratories are typically far lower than at US facilities, and relocating work to other countries or back to the United States is likely to increase costs and slow certification timelines, at least initially. Reuters reported that the FCC is framing the proposal not only as a security measure, but also as part of a wider push for reciprocal treatment in international commerce, in line with its broader scrutiny of foreign influence over technology supply chains.