US agency votes to tighten restrictions on Chinese tech companies deemed threats

The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday voted to tighten restrictions on telecommunications equipment made by Chinese companies deemed national security risks, the latest in a series of US actions targeting Beijing.

The US telecom regulator previously named companies including Huawei, ZTE, China Mobile and China Telecom to the so-called "Covered List," which bars the FCC from authorising the import or sale of new equipment from those companies.

The FCC voted 3-0 to prohibit authorization of devices containing component parts from companies on the list and authorise the agency to prohibit the sale of previously authorised Covered List equipment in specific cases.