Amazon & Walmart Remove Millions of Chinese Electronics
Amazon, Walmart, and other large ecommerce players have begun removing millions of Chinese electronics due to FCC concerns about national security.
Such items include surveillance cameras, smart watches, and other communications equipment.
Here's what's fueling the sudden crackdown.
Amazon, Walmart and Other Retailers Purge Listings
The FCC announced that major U.S. online retailers havepurged millions of listings of electronics tied to Chinese brands linked to national security risks. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has played a central role in pressuring retailers to take down devices such as smartwatches, security cameras, and broader “communications equipment” from companies like Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Dahua, among others.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said in an interview that the removed items are either on a U.S. list of barred equipment or were not authorized by the agency. This list of items includes products such as security cameras and phones from companies like Huawei and ZTE.
FCC Sites National Security Concerns
In March, the FCC accused Chinese companies such as Huawei of evading restrictions placed on it due to being on a “covered list”. This list deems specific communications equipment and services pose a threat to U.S. national security.
This isn’t just about brand bans. The FCC is also moving to revoke prior authorizations, tighten certification rules, and disallow imports or authorization of devices containing components tied to “Covered List” entities. Separately, the FCC is also taking steps to bar certain Chinese labs from testing electronics used in the U.S. market—labs that historically have been central to the certification ecosystem.
The FCC also announced that on October 28, 2025 it will pursue stricter restrictions on Chinese companies. It will vote on whether to prohibit the authorization of devices containing component parts that are on the Covered List and authorize the agency to prohibit the sale of previously authorized Covered List equipment in specific cases.
