The Federal Communications Commission on Friday asked three state-controlled Chinese telecommunications operators to explain why the United States should allow them to operate in the country despite mounting national security concerns, moving a step closer to revoke their licences. In the so-called “show cause” orders FCC issued separately to China Telecom Americas, China Unicom Americas and Pacific Networks Corp’s wholly owned subsidiary ComNet (USA), controlled by Chinese government investment firm Citic Group, the commission directed the companies to make the case of why it should not start the process of revoking authorisations of their US operations. “Foreign entities providing telecommunications services – or seeking to provide services – in the United States must not pose a risk to our national security,” said Ajit Pai, FCC chairman, in a Friday statement. “The Show Cause Orders reflect our deep concern … about these companies’ vulnerability to the exploitation, influence, and control of the Chinese Communist Party.” “We simply cannot take a risk and hope for the best when it comes to the security of our networks,” said Pai. Friday’s move is part of a recent push by US regulators to minimise Chinese involvement in US telecommunications infrastructure. Last year, the commission rejected the application by another Beijing-controlled telecommunication provider, China Mobile, to obtain a licence to operate in the US last year on national security grounds. The orders give the companies 30 days to demonstrate that they are not subject to the influence and control of the Chinese government. Trump owes tens of millions to the Bank of China – and the loan is due soon For China Telecom Americas, specifically, the firm was required to provide a detailed response to allegations raised by various US departments early April in a recommendation to revoke the company’s licence. “This recommendation reflects the substantial and unacceptable national security and law enforcement risks associated with China Telecom’s continued access to US telecommunications infrastructure,” the group of departments, including the state department, Homeland Security and the United States Trade Representative, said in a filing to the FCC. The departments contended that the Chinese government has “ultimate ownership and control” of China Telecom and the company’s US operations. Such ownership might allow Chinese government entities “to engage in malicious cyber activity enabling economic espionage and disruption and misrouting of US communications” and “provide opportunities for increased Chinese government-sponsored economic espionage,” the departments said in the filing. China Telecom Americas filed a letter last week in response to the allegations, requesting an opportunity for a hearing. The FCC granted the operation approvals to the firms more than a decade ago. Since then, “the national security and law enforcement risks linked to the Chinese government’s activities have grown significantly,” the commission said about the Friday orders. US regulators block China Mobile over ‘national security concerns’ China Telecom Americas issued a statement on Friday saying it “has been operating in good standing in the United States for nearly 20 years. We look forward, in the coming weeks, to sharing information with the FCC that speaks to our role as a responsible telecom company”. Representatives for China Unicom Americas and Pacific Networks did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment. As wariness grew over Chinese telecoms equipment and services, the Trump administration also placed Huawei Technologies – the Chinese telecoms company that is the global leader in next-generation 5G technology – on an “entity list” last year and barred it from buying critical components from its American suppliers. The US has urged other governments around the world to exclude Huawei from developing their 5G infrastructure, citing national security risks. Earlier this month, the FCC told Google that the company could only operate only a portion of the 12,875km (8,000-mile) Pacific Light Cable Network system between the United States and Taiwan, but not a part that connected with Hong Kong. The unit of Alphabet and Facebook helped pay for this telecommunications link. “There is a significant risk that the grant of a direct cable connection between the United States and Hong Kong would seriously jeopardise the national security and law enforcement interests of the United States,” said the US Justice Department at the time.