Chinese Testing Labs Oppose FCC Decertification

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2025 – Last month, the Federal Communications Commission stopped recognizing seven test labs it said were tied to the Chinese government. Five of those asked the agency to reconsider, and one claimed it was in fact controlled by a German firm.

New wireless devices must be tested to ensure they comply with FCC rules before being sold in the United States, and the agency must approve of the labs that actually do the testing.  In May, the agency barred from the program any labs and certification bodies controlled in part by the Chinese government and other entities deemed national security threats, and last month rescinded its recognition of two sets of labs under the new rules.

The first group of seven had to respond to FCC revocations by Thursday, and six did. Five said they did not pose security threats and urged the agency to reconsider its decision.

The Chongqing Academy of Information and Communications Technology said it “firmly believes” a Chinese state-owned lab that meets international standards “does not pose a threat to the national security of the United States.”

“Therefore, we urge the Commission to reconsider, at an appropriate time, its current policy restrictions on Chinese state-owned laboratories,” Chongqing wrote. “We hope the Commission will uphold the goal of providing more convenient services for manufacturers and international trade, return to a path of open cooperation, and lift the current restrictive measures.”

The FCC is in fact considering further altering its policies on test facilities, but not the way CAIC and other Chinese lab operators would prefer.

In its May order, the agency took comment on banning all labs and certification bodies based in China, saying that barring those under explicit Chinese control “may not be sufficient to address the threats to the integrity of our equipment authorization processes posed by malign foreign actors.”

Tech and telecom trade groups don’t like the idea very much and argued it would unnecessarily reduce global testing capacity. The FCC estimates about 75 percent of all newly certified devices are tested in China.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr downplayed those concerns last month. He said part of the certification process included checking whether devices could serve as Chinese spy gear – a fear that has led to companies like Huawei being blacklisted in the U.S. – which led to the idea that Chinese-owned labs should be excluded.

“It wouldn't be a bad thing if as a result of this, more U.S.-based test labs were built and more of the testing takes place in the U.S.,” he said in an interview. “I'd like to see that result.”

While there are many strong partisan disagreements at the FCC, hawkishness on China is not one of them. The initial proposal to ban Chinese controlled labs came last year under former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat. 

The agency is also reimbursing smaller carriers for replacing network gear from blacklisted Chinese firms.

Device certifications are currently on pause due to the government shutdown, something that could potentially be disruptive depending on how long the shutdown lasts.

“Equipment authorizations, including those bringing new electronic devices to American consumers, cannot be provided,” the agency wrote in its shutdown plan.