BEIJING: Washington has expelled another state-owned Chinese phone carrier from the US market over national security concerns amid rising tension with Beijing.

The Federal Communications Commission revoked authorisation for Pacific Networks Corp. to provide domestic and international service under an order issued Wednesday.

The US government is reducing Chinese access to American markets and investment over possible spying and Beijing’s military development.

The FCC cited significant national security and law enforcement risks that Pacific Networks could monitor or disrupt US 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 US 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 US 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.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2022