US bans telecom giant China Unicom over spying concerns

China Unicom has become the latest Chinese telecoms giant to be banned from the US over "significant" national security and espionage concerns. Imagesource,GettyImagesChinaUnicomhasbecomethelatestChinesetelecomsgianttobebannedfromtheUSover"significant"nationalsecurityandespionageconcerns.TheFederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC)saidithadvotedunanimouslytorevokeauthorisationforthecompany'sAmericanunittooperateintheUS.ThefirmmuststopprovidingtelecomsservicesinAmericawithin60days.TheannouncementcomesafterlargerrivalChinaTelecomhaditslicencetooperateintheUSrevokedinOctober.FCCchairwomanJessicaRosenworcelsaid:"Therehasbeenmountingevidence-andwithit,agrowingconcern-thatChinesestate-ownedcarriersposearealthreattothesecurityofourtelecommunicationsnetworks."ChinaUnicomtoldtheBBCitsAmericanunit"hasagoodrecordofcomplyingwithrelevantUSlawsandregulationsandprovidingtelecommunicationservicesandsolutionsasareliablepartnerofitscustomersinthepasttwodecades"."ChinaUnicom(HongKong)Limitedwillcloselyfollowthedevelopmentofthesituation,"itadded.TheChineseEmbassyinWashingtondidnotimmediatelyrespondtoarequestforcommentfromtheBBC.USrevokeslicenceoftopChinesetelecomscompanyBidentightensrestrictionsonHuaweiandZTEChinaMobilemakesShanghaidebutafterUSexitChinesetechnologyandtelecomsfirmshavebeentargetedinrecentyearsbyUSauthoritiesovernationalsecurityconcerns.InNovember,PresidentJoeBidensignedlegislationthatstopscompaniesjudgedtobeasecuritythreatfromreceivingnewtelecomsequipmentlicences.UndertheSecureEquipmentAct,theFCCshouldnolongerreviewapplicationsfromcompaniesruledtobeathreat.ItmeansequipmentfromHuawei,ZTEandthreeotherChinesecompaniescannotbeusedinUStelecomsnetworks.AlsoinNovember,theUSgovernmentaddedadozenmoreChinesecompaniestoitsrestrictedtradelist,citingnationalsecurityandforeignpolicyconcerns.WashingtonsaidthatsomeofthefirmsarehelpingdeveloptheChinesemilitary'squantumcomputingprogramme.InOctober,WashingtonrevokedtheUSlicenceofChinaTelecom,alsocitingnationalsecurityconcerns.USofficialssaidtheChinesegovernment'scontrolofthecompanygaveittheopportunity"toaccess,store,disrupt,and/ormisrouteUScommunications".Thisinturncouldallowit"toengageinespionageandotherharmfulactivitiesagainsttheUS",theysaid.In2019,Chinesestate-ownedtelecomsgiantChinaMobilealsohaditsUSlicencerevoked.Youmayalsobeinterestedin:Mediacaption,Chipwars:TheUSvChinaMoreonthisstoryChinaMobilemakesShanghaidebutafterUSexit5JanuaryUSrestrictstradewithadozenmoreChinesefirms25November2021BidentightensrestrictionsonHuaweiandZTE12November2021USrevokeslicenceoftopChinesetelecomscompany26October2021RelatedTopicsSpyingChinaMobilephones5GUnitedStatesTopStoriesLive. RussiafailstomakemajorgainsinUkraine-UKVideoappearstoshowciviliansinMariupolbunkerPublished29minutesagoFrenchrivalstradetauntsinfinalbidtovotersPublished14hoursagoFeaturesInsideKyiv'strenchdefences.VideoInsideKyiv'strenchdefencesHowRussiareplacesUkrainianmediawithitsownTheyoungrebelsfightingfordemocracy.VideoTheyoungrebelsfightingfordemocracyFrenchelection:AsimpleguideThehousethatfightsmosquitoes.VideoThehousethatfightsmosquitoesJerusalemholysiteclashesfuelfearsofreturntowar'DoingParkrunat95issomethingdifferent'Video'DoingParkrunat95issomethingdifferent'WhyGrenadawantedtotalktoroyalsaboutslaveryBluebells,abunnyandmoreoftheweek'sbestphotosElsewhereontheBBCRemembertheseonehitwonders?Epictracksfromthe90sandaspecialguestappearancebyChesneyHawkes!WhoisthebestPremierLeaguesetpiecetaker?GaryLineker,AlanShearerandMicahRichardsdebateMaketonightamovienight!There'ssomethingforeveryoneonBBCiPlayerMostRead1HowRussiareplacesUkrainianmediawithitsown2BeachphotosmarkPrinceLouis'fourthbirthday3MikeTysonpunchedpassenger'afterbottlethrown'4UScongresswoman:Ididnotcallforinsurrection5Ex-NissanbossCarlosGhosnsayshewantsatrial6McCannswelcomedeclarationofformalsuspect7Frenchrivalstradetauntsinfinalbidtovoters8TheMariupolstreetstrewnwithbodies9India'sricharthistoryisnowjustaclickaway10VideoappearstoshowciviliansinMariupolbunker