US telecom security: FCC plans ban on undersea cables with Chinese tech; firms like Huawei, ZTE under fire

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Wednesday that it plans to introduce new rules to block companies from connecting undersea communication cables to the United States if they include Chinese technology or equipment.“We have seen submarine cable infrastructure threatened in recent years by foreign adversaries, like China,” FCC Chair Brendan Carr said in a statement. “We are therefore taking action here to guard our submarine cables against foreign adversary ownership, and access as well as cyber and physical threats.”The United States has long raised concerns about China’s involvement in global network infrastructure, particularly in terms of how network traffic is handled and the potential for espionage. More than 400 subsea cables currently carry 99% of the world’s international internet traffic, and US officials have cited broad data security concerns regarding this vast network, Reuters reported.Back since 2020, US regulators have played a major role in halting four proposed cables intended to link the US with Hong Kong. Last year, the FCC signalled it was considering new rules to govern the operation of undersea internet cables amid growing national security risks. That included a review of whether equipment or services provided by companies deemed threats to US security, such as Huawei, ZTE, China Telecom and China Mobile, should be banned from use in subsea cable systems.Carr emphasised the urgency of protecting this infrastructure, stating the FCC is moving to safeguard undersea cables from both cyber and physical risks tied to foreign adversaries. The agency also said it will seek public comment on potential additional measures to bolster the security of submarine cable systems against equipment from such entities.Recent events have highlighted these concerns. In the Baltic Sea, the cutting of two fibre-optic undersea cables led to investigations into possible sabotage. In 2023, Taiwan accused two Chinese ships of severing the only internet cables connecting the Matsu Islands. More recently, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are suspected to have caused damage to three critical cables supplying internet service to Europe and Asia.