In a significant legal setback for Chinese tech manufacturer Hikvision, a U.S. appeals court has upheld the 2022 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling that bars the company from obtaining approvals for new video surveillance and telecommunications equipment in the United States.
The decision, made by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, rejects Hikvision’s attempt to lift the freeze on its equipment authorization process. This ruling reinforces the FCC’s 2022 action, which had frozen approvals for Hikvision’s products over national security concerns.
Hikvision, which had filed a formal appeal with the court, argued that the freeze is causing substantial financial harm, although the company has not disclosed the exact monetary impact. The company sought to have the FCC lift the ban, claiming that it unfairly prevents it from seeking approval even for non-connected devices like vacuum cleaners and warehouse robots.
Despite Hikvision’s request, the court sided with the FCC, which had argued that the ruling from a previous 2024 decision only required the commission to revise its definition of critical infrastructure and did not mandate the consideration of specific product authorizations. Furthermore, the court did not lift the requirement for Hikvision to have an approved compliance plan before it can receive authorization for its telecommunications or video surveillance equipment.
The decision underscores ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Chinese tech companies, with Hikvision being one of several Chinese firms facing legal challenges over U.S. government restrictions. Other companies, including drone maker DJI, have also filed lawsuits against U.S. agencies over similar national security-related actions.
Hikvision’s appeal and the court’s ruling are part of the broader geopolitical struggle over the role of Chinese technology in critical infrastructure and concerns regarding national security risks posed by foreign-made surveillance equipment.
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