The United States has expelled another state-owned Chinese phone carrier over national security concerns amid escalating tension with Beijing, as part of the efforts to reduce Chinese access to U.S. markets, potential espionage investments and Beijing’s military development.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revoked authorization for the Pacific Networks Corp. to provide domestic and international service under an order issued Wednesday.
The FCC cited "significant national security and law enforcement risks” that Pacific Networks could monitor or disrupt U.S. communications. It said there were no steps that could eliminate those risks while the company operated in the United States.
President Joe Biden has extended efforts begun under his predecessor, Donald Trump, to limit access to U.S. technology, investment and markets for Chinese companies due to concern they are security risks or helping military development.
In October, a unit of China Telecom Ltd., one of China’s three main state-owned carriers, was expelled by the FCC from the U.S. market on similar grounds.
The FCC said in 2019 it planned to revoke licenses granted two decades earlier to China Telecom and another state-owned carrier, China Unicom Ltd. It rejected a license application by the third carrier, China Mobile Ltd.
The FCC also cited unspecified "conduct and representations” by Pacific Networks to regulators and Congress that "demonstrate a lack of trustworthiness and reliability.”
Pacific Networks owns an American company, ComNet (USA) LLC, which provides international service, calling cards and global SIM cards, as well as network management, business phone systems and website services, according to a U.S. Senate report in 2020.
The companies ultimately are owned by the Chinese Cabinet’s main holding company, CITIC Group, which "may be able to access U.S. customer records,” said the report by the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The companies are obligated by Chinese law to "support the Chinese government’s intelligence work,” the report said.
