China asks U.S. to revoke proposed restrictive steps against telecom carriers

 

China's Ministry of Commerce expressed firm opposition on Friday to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's proposed restrictive measures against Chinese entities, urging Washington to stop its wrongful practices and respect market rules. 

The FCC voted to advance measures on Thursday that would revoke the qualifications of testing and certification bodies from countries without a mutual recognition agreement with the United States, and prohibit entities on its "Covered List" from conducting telecommunications business in the U.S.

In response, a spokesperson for the ministry stated that the FCC has abandoned the principle of technological neutrality and overstretched the concept of national security.

Without factual basis, the U.S. has frequently introduced restrictive measures that discriminatorily treat enterprises and products from other countries, including China, severely damaging the interests of China and other relevant trading partners, the ministry said.

These measures undermine the hard-won stability of Sino-U.S. economic and trade relations and run counter to the consensus reached by the two heads of state, the spokesperson added.

The FCC is currently seeking public comments on the proposed measures. If implemented, the ministry warned, they would severely disrupt the international economic and trade order, destabilize global industrial and supply chains in the communications and electronics sectors, and impact global industrial cooperation and technological innovation.

Such actions would also harm the interests of U.S. industries and consumers, affecting the security of the U.S.' own supply chain.

The ministry urged the U.S. to heed the voices of the industry and revoke the relevant measures, adding that it will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises if the U.S. insists on having its own way.