Sino-US ties set for new test as labs ban looms

China on Friday slammed a proposal from a US regulator that would bar its labs from testing electronic devices for use in the United States, saying it undermined bilateral trade relations. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted on Thursday to advance the proposal which, if approved, would hit devices ranging from smartphones to cameras. Around 75 percent of certified devices in the United States are tested in recognised labs in China, the FCC estimates. The Commerce Ministry said on Friday that the restrictions would "seriously undermine the international economic and trade order", vowing to hit back if implemented. "If the US insists on going down the wrong path, China will resolutely take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," it said in a statement. It accused the FCC of repeatedly introducing restrictive measures towards Chinese products and companies. "These... undermine the hard-won stability in China-US economic and trade relations, run counter to the consensus reached by the two heads of state," the statement added. The proposal, which the FCC says aimed to "prioritise national security", comes a year after the agency adopted rules to ban test labs "owned or controlled by foreign adversaries". The measure bans recognition of test labs and certification bodies in countries that do not have a mutual recognition agreement with the United States, or other comparable reciprocal trade agreement, the FCC said. China does not have such a pact with the FCC, according to its website. If approved, products tested and certified in such labs would be phased out over two years after final rules are implemented. (AFP) Edited by Thomas McAlinden