‘US abuses state power to suppress Chinese firms’

This photo taken on May 31, 2021 shows the Huawei flagship store in Shenzhen, in China’s southern Guangdong province. (Photo by AFP)

China has denounced as “bullying” a US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) vote to advance a proposed ban on Huawei and ZTE, saying Washington “abuses” state power to suppress Chinese firms.

The FCC on Thursday voted unanimously to advance a plan to ban approvals for equipment in US telecommunications networks from Chinese firms considered national security threats such as Huawei and ZTE.

The vote drew opposition from China, with Zhao Lijian, the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, saying, “The United States, without any evidence, uses the so-called pretext of national security and abuses state power to suppress Chinese companies.”

“This is undisguised economic and technological bullying,” he stressed.

Under proposed rules that got initial approval, the FCC could also revoke previous equipment authorizations issued to Chinese firms.

Besides Huawei and ZTE, the affected companies also include Hytera Communications Corp, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co.

“We again urge the US to stop these erroneous actions of generalizing the concept of national security and politicizing economic issues. Provide a fair, open and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies to operate in the US,” Zhao said.

He noted that his country would continue to support the relevant Chinese firms to protect “its legitimate rights in accordance with the law”.

Ties between the US and China have hit the lowest in decades as the two sides are at loggerheads over a host of issues, including trade, a new security law introduced in Hong Kong, the origins and handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Chinese Taipei, and the disputed South China Sea.

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