The US regulator on Tuesday (October 26th) revoked the authorization to operate in the United States of the local subsidiary of China Telecom, citing
“significant”
risks
to national security.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given China Telecom America 60 days to shut down its services in the United States, where the Chinese company has had a presence for twenty years.
"The fact that China Telecom America is owned and controlled by the Chinese government poses significant risks to national security and law enforcement,"
the FCC said in a statement.
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The commission estimated that China Telecom and the Chinese government can
"access, store, interrupt and / or hijack American communications, which allows them to carry out espionage and other activities harmful to the United States
.
"
"Promoting national security is an integral part of the Commission's responsibilities to defend the public interest, and our action today corresponds to this mission,"
she added.
This announcement, which may worsen tensions between Washington and Beijing, significantly lowered Chinese stock markets at the opening Wednesday.
China Telecom is the main fixed line operator in China.
He had to leave Wall Street in January, just like his compatriots and rivals China Mobile and China Unicom, following an executive order by former US President Donald Trump prohibiting any US citizen from investing in companies accused of 'be linked to the Chinese army.
