January 31, 2022

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a unanimous decision to ban Chinese telecommunications giant China Unicom from the United States, ordering the company to stop providing telecoms services in America within 60 days.

Explaining the reason for the ban, 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.”

In response to the ban, China Unicom said that its U.S. 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 said it would closely monitor developments in the situation.

The ban on China Unicom consolidates the United States government’s efforts to rid society of Chinese service providers accused of being a threat to the country’s security.

In October, Washington revoked China Telecom’s U.S. license, citing national security concerns, and in November, the U.S. government blacklisted a dozen other Chinese companies.

For more information, read the original story on the BBC.