FCC plans 2028 ban on Chinese device-testing labs

The FCC plans to vote October 29 on a proposal to bar testing labs and certification bodies in countries that do not give U.S. labs reciprocal treatment, a change expected to affect China most and extend a 2025 restriction on Chinese government-linked labs. If approved, the rules would take effect in December 2028; the FCC says China handled about 82% of U.S.-bound device testing in 2025, while fewer than 4% of devices were tested in U.S. labs. The agency says the shift would address oversight and fairness concerns and plans faster approvals for products tested in the United States or other qualifying countries. Chinese analysts criticized the proposal as protectionist and warned it could disrupt electronics supply chains and raise manufacturers’ costs.