The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is weighing a rule that would exclude laboratories in China from testing devices for the U.S. market, as federal agencies also restrict their use of Chinese AI firm DeepSeek.
The FCC proposal would recognize testing laboratories only if they operate in the United States or in economies with reciprocal arrangements. It concerns where a lab operates, rather than whether its owner is Chinese. Reuters reported that 82% of U.S. electronics were tested in China in 2025.
A separate federal order restricting DeepSeek requires civilian agencies to remove covered technology from their systems and bars new purchases. It also covers third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek implementations. The order signed by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin lists July 24 as its original release date. Its notice was filed for public inspection Oct. 19 and lists Oct. 20 for Federal Register publication.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cites the possibility that prompts entered by government workers or vendors could expose sensitive information to China. The department says that information, combined with public material, might reveal details about U.S. people or government operations. It also identifies potential malware and other security vulnerabilities. The order does not say a data transfer occurred, and it encourages agencies to monitor network traffic during removal.
Reuters reported that the Commerce Department, the Navy and several states had previously restricted DeepSeek on government devices. The FCC is scheduled to vote Oct. 29 on its laboratory proposal.
