UPDATE 1-US agency votes to tighten restrictions on Chinese tech companies deemed threats

(Adds quote from FCC chair in paragraph 3, background in paragraphs 7-8) WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) – The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday voted to tighten restrictions on telecommunications equipment made by Chinese companies deemed national security risks, the latest in a series of U.S. actions targeting Beijing. The U.S. telecom regulator previously named companies including Huawei, ZTE, China Mobile and China Telecom to the so-called "Covered List," which bars the FCC from authorizing the import or sale of new equipment from those companies. The FCC voted 3-0 to prohibit authorization of devices containing component parts from companies on the list and empowered the agency to prohibit the sale of previously authorized Covered List equipment in specific cases. "These present loopholes that bad actors could use to threaten the security of our networks," FCC Chair Brendan Carr said. "America's foreign adversaries are constantly looking for ways to exploit any vulnerabilities in our system." Earlier this month, Carr said major U.S. online retail websites had removed several million listings for prohibited Chinese electronics as part of a crackdown by the agency. The items removed were on the U.S. list of barred equipment or were not authorized by the agency, such as home security cameras and smart watches from companies including Huawei, Hangzhou Hikvision, ZTE and Dahua Technology Company. The FCC issued a national security notice this month reminding companies of prohibited items including video surveillance equipment. The FCC on October 15 said it was moving to revoke the authority of leading Hong Kong telecom carrier HKT, a subsidiary of PCCW, to operate in the United States, citing national security concerns. In March, the FCC said it was investigating nine Chinese companies on the Covered List including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications, Dahua Technology Company, Pacifica Networks/ComNet and China Unicom (Americas). The FCC previously barred some Chinese companies from providing telecommunications services in the United States, citing national security concerns. Last month, the FCC began proceedings to withdraw recognition from seven test labs owned or controlled by the Chinese government, citing U.S. national security concerns. (Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Franklin Paul and Andrea Ricci )

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