FCC Chairman Announces Effort to Counter Threat From China
variety.comGene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission announced an effort on Thursday to counter the threat posed by China, continuing what has been a bipartisan focus over the last half decade.
Brendan Carr said the agency would form a Council for National Security, which would be tasked with reducing the U.S. telecommunications industry’s trade and supply chain dependence on China and with countering cyberattacks and foreign surveillance.
Since 2020, the FCC has been reimbursing small telecom companies for the cost of removing equipment supplied by two Chinese manufacturers, Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation.
That program — dubbed “Rip and Replace” — initially received $2 billion from Congress. President Biden signed a bill in December authorizing an additional $3 billion, which the FCC said was needed to cover the full cost.
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