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FILE PHOTO: Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) delivers a speech one day after the mid-term elections, during which Senate Republicans retain their majority and the House has seen Democrats take control, Capitol Hill, Washington, United States, November 7, 2018. REUTERS / Mike Theiler
September 17, 2019
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two US senators on Monday urged the FCC and national security agencies to determine whether two state-owned telecommunications companies should be allowed to operate in the United States while Anxiety was possible.
Senate Democrat Leader Charles Schumer and Republican Senator Tom Cotton Have Asked Federal Communications Commission Chair Ajit Pai to Review China Telecom Approvals in Early 2000s <0728.HK> and China Unicom <0762.HK> to operate in the United States.
"These state-owned companies still have access to our telephone lines, optical cables, cellular networks and satellites, which could enable it (China) to target the content of communications from Americans or their companies and the US government, notably by" hijacking "Telecommunication traffic by redirecting it to China," the senators wrote in a letter that was also sent to the Defense and Homeland Security departments.
In May, the FCC voted unanimously to deny another Chinese telecommunications company, China Mobile Ltd <0941.HK>, the right to provide services in the United States, citing risks that the Chinese government could use its authorization to conduct espionage activities against the US government. The FCC revealed at the time that it was reviewing existing approvals.
Pai "made it clear that the board was reviewing other Chinese communications companies such as China Telecom and China Unicom," said FCC spokesman Brian Hart.
China Telecom spokesman Ge Yu said his company "has been providing telecommunication services to US companies for nearly 20 years, we place a high priority on protecting our customers' data and have built a solid reputation in as one of the best telecommunications companies in the world. "He added that the company was striving to" stay in good standing with all regulatory agencies ".
FCC commissioner Brendan Carr said in May that "the suggested evidence" would allow the commission to go beyond the rejection of China Mobile's claim.
China Unicom said in a statement that it was operating its international telecommunications business "in strict compliance with international and local laws and regulations."
In 2011, China Mobile had requested permission to provide interconnection services for phone calls between the United States and other countries, which would have given it better access to US phone lines , fiber optic cables, cellular networks and communications satellites.
The FCC voted 5-0 in May to deny the application.
Geoffrey Starks, another FCC commissioner, said, "National security has changed since these (past) applications were accepted." He said addressing concerns about other carriers was a top priority.
The Trump administration is leading a wider campaign to limit the role of Chinese telecom companies in building 5G networks.
In May, the Trump administration banned Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] to purchase vital US technology without special authorization and effectively prohibit its equipment to US telecommunication networks for reasons of national security.
In August, the US extended the deadline for Huawei to purchase components from US companies to supply existing customers, but also added more than 40 Huawei units to its economic blacklist.
(Report by David Shepardson, edited by Sonya Hepinstall and Bill Berkrot)
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