Hikvision and Dahua Banned

October 22, 2021 – The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would effectively ban the importation and sale of all new products from Chinese surveillance giants Dahua and Hikvision.

The Secure Equipment Act of 2021, which was introduced by Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.,) requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to formally adopt a proposed rulemaking measure it introduced earlier this year that would prohibit the agency from reviewing or issuing new equipment authorizations for companies that have been placed on its so-called “Covered List” of organizations whose equipment and services have been deemed as posing a threat to national security. Aside from Hikvision and Dahua, the list includes several other high-profile China-based manufacturers, including Huawei, ZTE Corporation and Hytera Technologies.

“By prohibiting the FCC from issuing any equipment licenses to companies identified as a threat to our national security, this bill prevents compromised Chinese equipment from threatening America’s networks,”Scalise said in a statement. “The Secure Equipment Act sends a strong signal to the Chinese Communist Party that America is committed to securing our networks and protecting the privacy and safety of our citizens. I’m proud to have worked with Rep. Eshoo in writing this important bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to its passage in the Senate as this bill moves one step closer to becoming law.”

“I’ve fought for over a decade to address vulnerabilities in our telecommunications infrastructure that directly impact our national security,” Eshoo added. “Equipment made by Huawei and ZTE, companies linked to the Chinese government, increase the vulnerabilities of our telecommunication systems, and put the U.S. at risk. I'm so pleased that the House passed bipartisan, bicameral legislation that Rep. Scalise and I co-authored to prohibit the FCC from issuing licenses for any telecommunications equipment made by Huawei or ZTE.”

In a statement, Dahua said that it will continue to closely monitor the movement of the legislation. 

"We are committed to complying with applicable law in every market in which we operate and to continuing to be an active, constructive participant in the U.S. security technology marketplace,” the statement read.