WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - The Federal

Communications Commission voted on Thursday 4-0 to finalize

rules barring Chinese labs deemed risks to U.S. national

security from testing electronic devices such as smartphones,

cameras and computers for use in the United States.

All electronics used in the United States must go through

the FCC's equipment authorization process before they can be

imported.

The FCC says about 75% of all electronics are tested in labs

located inside China.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington said on Thursday it

opposes the United States "over-stretching the concept of

national security, using national apparatus and long-arm

jurisdiction to bring down Chinese companies. We oppose turning

trade and technological issues into political weapons."

The FCC said it had found that many currently recognized

labs potentially have deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party,

including some connected to Chinese state-owned-enterprises or

the Chinese military. These labs have tested thousands of

devices bound for the U.S. market over the last several years,

the agency added.

"These labs provide a gateway into the U.S.

telecommunications infrastructure," FCC Chair Brendan Carr said

on Thursday. "It is not hard to imagine that an unreliable lab

-one beholden to a foreign adversary - could sign off on

insecure gear entering the U.S. market."

The FCC in November 2022 banned approvals of new

telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE (Shenzhen:000063), as well as

telecom and video surveillance equipment from Hytera

Communications Corp, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital

Technology and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co

.

The order bans testing by labs in China subject to control

or direction from companies on the FCC's "Covered List" that

deems specific communications equipment and services as a threat

to U.S. national security. Under the rules, the FCC will

withdraw its recognition of labs if it determines they are tied

to a prohibited company.

The agency is also seeking comment on a separate proposal to

expand the testing prohibition to all labs in China and other

foreign adversaries.

In addition, the FCC voted on Thursday to advance a proposal

to require entities with significant ties to China or other

foreign adversaries to disclose all licenses and authorizations

from the FCC.

In March, the FCC said it is investigating nine Chinese

companies, including Huawei, Hikvision China Mobile

and China Telecom to determine if they are seeking

to evade U.S. restrictions.