US Moves To Ban Hong Kong Telecom Major HKT From Its Networks, Citing National Security Risks

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken steps to potentially revoke HKT (International) Ltd.’s access to domestic telecommunications networks over national security concerns, reported The Times Of India.

HKT, a major Hong Kong phone company controlled by PCCW Ltd., currently holds permission to interconnect with US networks, allowing direct exchange of calls and data.

In a statement, the FCC demanded that HKT and its subsidiaries explain why the agency should not begin revocation proceedings.

The FCC emphasised HKT's association with China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd., which lost network access to the United States in 2022.

China Unicom holds an 18.4 per cent interest in PCCW.

“The FCC's action on HKT today is an appropriate step towards ensuring the safety and integrity of our communications networks,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said.

“The FCC will continue to safeguard America’s networks against penetration from foreign adversaries, like China," he added.

PCCW, chaired by Richard Li, son of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, received approximately 13.7 per cent of its 2024 revenue from territories other than Greater China and Singapore, while the business did not identify individual nations in its annual report.

Li’s father’s company, CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd., faces scrutiny over a sale of global ports to a BlackRock Inc.-backed consortium that includes a Chinese investor.

The ports deal has become a flashpoint in broader U.S-China rivalry, which also affected stalled expansion talks for Li’s FWD Group Holdings Ltd. in mainland China.

The FCC’s action aligns with its broader effort to secure U.S. networks, following similar revocations for Chinese state-owned companies like China Telecom (Americas).

This move comes as President Donald Trump describes the US as engaged in a trade war with China, with a new 90-day truce deadline approaching in November.

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