The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

China voiced firm opposition to the US Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) latest restrictive move against companies and products from other countries including China and vowed to take necessary measures to safeguard the legal rights and interests of Chinese firms, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Friday.

According to a report by Reuters, the proposal aims to bar all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras and computers for use in the US. Currently, an estimated 75% of all US electronics are tested in China. In a separate vote, the commission also advanced a proposal to bar Chinese telecom carriers from operating data centers in the US, and to potentially prohibit telecom carriers from interconnecting with companies on its national security "Covered List," according to the report.

The FCC has abandoned the principle of technological neutrality and overstretched the concept of national security. Without a factual basis, it has repeatedly introduced restrictive measures and adopted discriminatory treatment toward enterprises and products from other countries, including China, seriously harming the interests of China and other relevant trading partners, said the MOFCOM spokesperson.  

"These measures undermine the hard-won stability of China-US economic and trade relations and run counter to the consensus reached by the two heads of state," the spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson said that MOFCOM has also noted that the FCC will seek public comments on the relevant measures. If ultimately implemented, they will seriously disrupt the international economic and trade order, destabilize global industrial and supply chains in telecommunications, electronics and related sectors, and affect global industrial cooperation and technological innovation. 

It will also harm the interests of US industries and consumers, and affect the security of US supply chains, the spokesperson noted, urging the US side to heed industry calls, respect market principles, stop its wrongdoings, and withdraw the relevant measures. 

"Should the US insist on going its own way, China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," the spokesperson noted.

Global Times