The U.S. initiated a process to fully disqualify “China Unicom” and other companies from operating in the U.S.

The U.S. government has begun revoking the rights of two Chinese communications companies to provide communications services in the United States.

The Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday (March 17) that it has begun the process of revoking the authority of China Unicom Americas and Pacific Networks and its wholly owned subsidiary ComNet to provide interstate and international communications services in the United States.

The FCC issued an order last April warning that it could shut down the U.S. operations of China Unicom Americas, Pacific Networks and China Telecom Corp Ltd, three Chinese state-run communications companies. China Unicom has been operating in the United States for 20 years, providing international communications services in the country.

The FCC began proceedings last December to revoke the authorization of China Telecom, China’s largest communications company, to provide communications services in the United States, an authorization that has been in place for nearly 20 years.

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said many Chinese communications carriers “also own data centers that operate within the United States,” and that the FCC currently lacks “the authority to address this potential national security threat. “

The FCC voted unanimously in May 2019 to deny China Mobile Ltd. authorization to operate in the U.S. to provide services, citing the possibility that the Chinese government could use the authorization to engage in espionage against the U.S. government.