US bans telecom operator China Unicom from operating there for fear of espionage
Eva Deschamps / January 28, 2022
The Chinese telecom company China Unicom was banned from operating in the United States on Thursday by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The U.S. authority is concerned that the company, which is controlled by the Chinese government, is jeopardizing national security and engaging in espionage. China Unicom says these concerns are unwarranted.
The committee unanimously decided that the Chinese company can no longer operate in the United States.
The company has 60 days to withdraw from the US market. Authority Chair Jessica Rosenworcel says in a statement that there is growing evidence, and therefore growing concern, that the Chinese state-owned company poses a real threat to the security of the U.S. communications network.
According to China Unicom, these concerns are unjustified and the U.S. decision was made without due process. The company insists that over the past two decades it has earned a good reputation for compliance with U.S. laws and regulations.
China Unicom was previously banned from operating on the U.S. stock market last year by former President Donald Trump.