The FCC is preparing to vote on a draft order that would prohibit Chinese labs from testing electronic devices prior to US market release.
With 82% of 2025 devices tested in China first, the rule ties market authorization to reciprocal testing access and sets a compliance deadline for late 2028.
Before an electronic device can hit stores in the United States, it must be officially tested by an approved laboratory. According to the agency, 82% of devices approved for sale in 2025 were initially tested in China.
If the proposal is approved, countries that do not allow similar testing in American laboratories, such as China, would be excluded from the process. The vote is scheduled for October 29. If the measure passes, it would take effect on December 1, 2028, giving companies two years to relocate their operations.
Who is affected and what is the situation today?
The head of the authority, Brendan Carr, said that less than 4% of electronic devices are tested in laboratories within the United States.
The list of countries offering similar treatment includes more than sixty regions, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Japan. Mainland China is not included.
As of the end of 2025, the authority has already banned foreign devices, such as drones, wireless routers, humanoid robots, energy converters and robotic vacuum cleaners.
China's reaction
China's Commerce Ministry said the proposal would seriously harm international trade and promised retaliation if the rules were eventually implemented.
Top comments (0)