Agreed, but as one country has law mandating that all their businesses and people provide the country’s intelligence community with any collected data it becomes a country of origin issue.
Far to many Chinese electronic products, from children’s toys, security cameras, cell phones, computers, and other items have demonstrated they contain code that automatically transmits data to Chinese servers when an internet connection can be made.
Where drones are concerned, we encounter a product that is frequently used to collect imagery in one form or another of locations associated with our nation’s critical infrastructure. They can and have been used inside structures that cannot be viewed from outside the structure. If there is any possibility a drone can be linked directly with the web in any manner they become a security risk. The use of web based Apps, WiFi for RF transmission, over the air updates, or web connected “Assistant” programming establishes a means to exchange data with a foreign server. I don’t believe but a handful of consumer drone operators are aware of or have dealt with our ITAR regulations but they contain specific rules covering control of information and technology, something totally violated with uncontrolled data transmission.
Ultimately, the government order is simply a minor continuance of the digital warfare that has been in play between China, her minions, and the U.S. for over 20 years. We also need to consider that regardless of what rule or promise China has agreed to they have never complied, always finding a means to circumvent or blatantly violate them. Trust cannot be generated with entities that have a proven history of violating trust, or those that have demonstrated a desire to control the world’s economy.