China Telecom urges the FCC not to revoke ability to operate in U.S.

China Telecom Corp's U.S. unit urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not to revoke the company's nearly two-decade old authorization to provide international telecommunications services to and from the United States, reported Reuters citing a filing by the company.

The filing came on Monday after the U.S. Justice Department and other agencies in April asked the FCC to revoke the authorization of China Telecom (Americas) citing national security concerns.

In its filing, the Chinese company called the U.S. government's claims "unfounded" and argued the FCC should not revoke its right to operate in the United States "based solely on foreign policy concerns in the absence of any evidence whatsoever of specific misconduct."

Early in April, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed opposition to Washington's threat to cut off China Telecom from serving the U.S. market, urging the country to stop unreasonably suppressing Chinese companies.

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the ministry, told a daily news briefing that China demands the U.S. government abide by market rules, stop stretching the concept of national security, and politicizing economic issues.

Zhao said that China urged the U.S. government to provide a level playing field for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate there.