Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr on Tuesday called for new steps to ensure Huawei Technologies and ZTE equipment is barred from U.S. telecommunications networks and ensure no electronic devices produced with forced labor enter the United States. The FCC last year adopted rules requiring U.S. telecom carriers to remove and replace equipment produced by Huawei or ZTE if purchased using an $8.3 billion government fund, but carriers could still purchase equipment from the Chinese companies with private funds. Also Read | U.S. lawmakers back $1.9 billion to replace telecom equipment from China's Huawei, ZTECarr, a Republican, called for closing the "glaring loophole... Carr also said the FCC could do more to address China's abuses of ethnic and religious minorities, especially against Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang. The FCC in December finalized rules requiring carriers with ZTE or Huawei equipment to "rip and replace" that equipment.U.S.

Source: The Hindu March 31, 2021 05:42 UTC