FCC to Vote on Banning Chinese Tech in US Undersea Cables Amid National Security Concerns

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a statement announcing its intention to vote on a new proposal on August 7, which would prohibit the use of Chinese technology in the construction of undersea cables connecting to the United States. This move is seen as a decisive step toward reinforcing the security of the U.S. network infrastructure and curbing China’s technological influence over America’s digital sovereignty.

According to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, the proposal would impose a sweeping ban on any technical, equipment-based, or otherwise participatory involvement by Chinese firms currently listed on the FCC’s registry of entities deemed to pose “an unacceptable risk to national security.”

The new regulation would also restrict these Chinese companies from acquiring licenses related to the construction, operation, or joint development of submarine communication cables that connect to U.S. territory.

Submarine cables are the backbone of the modern internet, responsible for transmitting over 95% of global cross-border data. From the FCC’s perspective, the involvement of entities considered potential national security threats—such as Chinese corporations—poses not only cybersecurity vulnerabilities but also risks of espionage and information surveillance.

In fact, as early as the first term of the Trump administration, the United States enacted the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, compelling telecom operators to remove equipment supplied by Huawei and ZTE, with the FCC providing financial assistance to support these efforts.

Despite currently operating with only three commissioners instead of the standard five, the FCC under Carr’s leadership has adopted a markedly more assertive regulatory posture—tightening restrictions on Chinese technologies while intensifying internal scrutiny of corporate diversity policies and merger intentions.

This latest proposal regarding submarine cables not only aligns with the trajectory of prior national security initiatives but is also widely regarded as a direct response to the 2024 “Salt Typhoon” cyberattack, which paralyzed systems across numerous American telecommunications and technology firms. The incident laid bare the latent vulnerabilities within U.S. infrastructure, compelling regulators to accelerate defensive upgrades.

Should the proposal be adopted, it is poised to reshape the global landscape of cable infrastructure and further recalibrate the balance of power in the U.S.-China digital infrastructure rivalry—especially at a time when submarine networks are fast becoming the new battleground of geopolitical tension in the so-called “New Cold War.”

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