China bans US telecom operators from “abuse of power”

On Thursday, China accused the United States of “abuse of power”, which banned two Chinese telecommunications companies from operating on their territory, citing “security risks.”

The US decision comes amid tensions and technology competition between Beijing and Washington.

China's foreign affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the United States “blatantly pushes the boundaries of the national security concept and abuses the national authorities to put Chinese enterprises on their backs.”

“This is a serious violation of international economic and trade rules, undermining the rights and interests of consumers, including US users,” he told a news conference.

The United States Telecommunications Agency (FCC) announced on Wednesday that it has revoked the license of the Chinese operator Pacific Networks and its subsidiary ComNet to protect the national network from “security risks”.

These companies must dismantle their activities in the United States within 60 days.

The FCC already stated in March 2021 that Pacific Networks and ComNet did not meet the required transparency and security requirements.

After the investigation, the agency concluded that these companies are “US subsidiaries of legal entities controlled by the Chinese state, which are subject to exploitation, influence and control by the Chinese government and are forced to comply with the requirements of the Chinese government.”

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