One of the biggest Chinese companies, Hikvision, is taking America’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to court. Chinese surveillance equipment manufacturer Hikvision announced that its US subsidiary has filed a legal challenge against a new FCC rule, escalating the ongoing dispute between Washington and Chinese technology companies over national security concerns. Hikvision stated it has filed a petition seeking judicial review of the FCC’s recent decision. The company argues that the commission exceeded its statutory authority and “seeks to retroactively curtail lawful authorizations without a sufficient legal or evidentiary basis.” Hikvision, best known for its video surveillance and security camera systems, also sells network transmission equipment and accessories.The legal action targets recent regulatory moves that allow US government agencies to tighten restrictions on telecommunications equipment manufactured by Chinese companies deemed to pose security risks. “Our legal action seeks to protect our established market rights and the lawful interests of our customers and partners, and to support a stable, transparent and predictable regulatory environment for all law-abiding businesses,” Hikvision said in a statement.
Dispute over “Covered List”
The dispute centers on the FCC’s “Covered List,” a designation for companies considered a threat to US national security. The list effectively bars the FCC from authorizing the import or sale of new equipment from named firms. Hikvision, along with other major Chinese entities such as Huawei, ZTE, China Mobile, and China Telecom, has previously been placed on this list.This filing follows a series of regulatory crackdowns. In February, a US appeals court rejected a separate bid by Hikvision to lift a 2022 FCC ban on approvals for its new video surveillance and telecommunications equipment.The regulatory pressure has extended beyond legal filings to the retail market. In October, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr announced that major American retail websites had removed several million listings for prohibited Chinese electronics. These items, which included home security cameras and smartwatches from Hikvision, Huawei, ZTE, and Dahua Technology, were removed for being on the Covered List or lacking agency authorization.The lawsuit comes as the American government continues to widen the scope of its restrictions on Chinese tech infrastructure. On October 15, the FCC announced it was moving to revoke the operating authorization of HKT, a leading Hong Kong telecom carrier and subsidiary of PCCW, citing national security concerns.Additionally, the FCC has recently moved to withdraw recognition from equipment test labs owned or controlled by Chinese entities, further tightening the compliance bottleneck for Chinese manufacturers attempting to enter or remain in the US market.
