TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Secure Equipment Act — which aims to stop companies judged to be security threats from getting new equipment licenses from U.S. regulators — was signed by U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday (Nov. 11).

The act breezed through the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives last month. The Senate passed the legislation unanimously, while only four voted against it in the House of Representatives, according to a Reuters report.

Under the new law, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is required to cease reviewing or approving any authorization application for equipment posing a clear risk to national security.

"(The law) will help to ensure that insecure gear from companies like Huawei and ZTE can no longer be inserted into America’s communications networks," FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said.

Beijing has expressed its opposition to the changes.

"The United States, without any evidence, still abuses national security and state power to suppress Chinese companies," Chinese foreign ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) said in June after the FCC voted to advance a plan to ban approval of equipment from five Chinese companies identified as posing national security risks.

Biden's signing of the act comes mere days before he is expected to virtually meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping (習近平). The meeting could be held next Monday, according to Reuters.