China Telecom should be banned from operating in US, departments say
- State, Defence, Justice and other departments tell FCC firm poses ‘unacceptable national security and law enforcement risks’
- China Mobile, another state-owned telecoms firm, was denied right to provide services in US in May over espionage fears
Several US departments are urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to revoke China Telecom (Americas) Corp’s authorisation to provide international telecommunications services to and from the United States.
“This recommendation reflects the substantial and unacceptable national security and law enforcement risks associated with China Telecom’s continued access to US telecommunications infrastructure,” the group of departments, including State, Justice, Defence, Homeland Security and Commerce, as well as the United States Trade Representative, said in a filing to the FCC on Thursday.
The call came as the FCC continues its review of China Telecom, an inquiry that began last year. The US subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned telecommunications company has held the license to provide services in the US since 2007.
Last May, the FCC voted unanimously to deny the request of another state-owned Chinese telecommunications company, China Mobile, to provide services in the United States. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said after that vote that the commission had determined China Mobile is controlled by the Chinese government.
The statement on Thursday cited risks that the Chinese government could use the FCC’s approval to conduct espionage against the US government.
