US Bans Telecom Giant China Unicom Over Spying Concerns

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: China Unicom has become the latest Chinese telecoms giant to be banned from the US over 'significant' national security and espionage concerns. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said it had voted unanimously to revoke authorization for the company's American unit to operate in the US. The firm must stop providing telecoms services in America within 60 days. The announcement comes after larger rival China Telecom had its licence to operate in the US revoked in October. US officials said the Chinese government's control of the company gave it the opportunity 'to access, store, disrupt, and/or misroute US communications.' This in turn could allow it 'to engage in espionage and other harmful activities against the US,' they said.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said: 'There has been mounting evidence -- and with it, a growing concern -- that Chinese state-owned carriers pose a real threat to the security of our telecommunications networks.' China Unicom told the BBC its American unit 'has a good record of complying with relevant US laws and regulations and providing telecommunication services and solutions as a reliable partner of its customers in the past two decades.' 'China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited will closely follow the development of the situation,' it added.

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