US blocks China Mobile from offering service in America over national security concerns
- Regulators vote against the Chinese telecoms company’s application to provide US phone service
- Ruling comes with Chinese delegation led by top negotiator Liu He arriving in Washington for trade talks
US communications regulators on Thursday voted against a Chinese telecoms company’s application to provide phone service in the US, citing national security risks amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
The ruling against China Mobile, which is owned by the Chinese government, comes on the day that a Chinese delegation led by top negotiator Liu He arrives in Washington for talks to end the US-China trade war.
China Mobile, the world’s largest wireless network operator, sought approval in 2011 to provide interconnection services for phone calls between the US and other countries.
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday rejected the application in unanimous 5-0 votes across party lines, following the Commerce Department’s recommendation to deny last year.
The FCC said the applicant, China Mobile USA, based in Delaware, is “ultimately owned and controlled by the People’s Republic of China”.