The Federal Trade Commission has launched proceedings against seven laboratories that review and approve electronics for use in the United States for being owned or controlled by China.

Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The Federal Communications Commission has launched proceedings against seven laboratories that review and approve electronics for use in the United States for being owned or controlled by China.

The FCC announced the launch of the proceedings Monday with the intent to revoke their recognition as accredited test laboratories for testing electronics for approval for the U.S. market, accusing them of posing a risk to national security.

The seven labs were identified as UL-CCIC Company Limited, which is based in Suzhou, China; TTL CAICT, based in Beijing; CVC Testing Technology (Shenzhen), based in Shenzhen; TUV Rheinland/CCIC, based in Ningbo; CQC Internet of Vehicles Technical Service, in Shenzhen; CVC Testing Technology, in Guangzhou; and Chongqing Academy of Information and Communications, in Chongqing.

"Foreign adversary governments should not own and control the labs that test the devices the FCC certifies as safe for the U.S. market," the FCC said in a statement.

"This is an important step in restoring trust in the commission's equipment authorization process and combating foreign adversary threats."

The FCC in May adopted new rules to block and remove Chinese government and "other untrustworthy actors" from having oversight over the U.S. wireless equipment authorization process.

According to a May 22 release announcing the adoption, the rules seek to ensure that the hundreds of equipment test labs "do not have ownership interests and that present security risks, including the risk that they would do the bidding of a foreign adversary."

The FCC requires all electronic devices that emit radio frequencies to be authorized for use in the United States. The range of electronics affected is wide, including products from smartphones to baby monitors and fitness trackers, as well as computers.

Prior to the adoption of the rules, companies seeking accreditation were only weighed on their competency, the FCC said, and not their "trustworthiness."

On Monday, the FCC said that now that the new rules have taken effect, it will seek to bring forward proceedings to revoke accreditation from certain so-called bad labs.

In addition to the seven companies the FCC is seeking to revoke accreditation for, the independent government agency said it will not renew the recognition of four companies whose approval expired following the adoption of the new rules.