Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official Website
The House Select Committee on China has issued subpoenas to three Chinese telecommunications companies: China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom. The subpoenas come after these companies did not respond to a congressional request for information sent on March 4, 2025. The companies are required to comply by May 7, 2025. The investigation centers on whether these firms continue to operate in ways that could impact U.S. national security and data privacy.
Previously, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) barred these three companies from offering licensed telecom services in the United States due to national security concerns. However, reports suggest they may still maintain equipment, software, and infrastructure on U.S. soil, which could pose threats.
Chairman John Moolenaar expressed concerns about the companies’ connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He stated, "These companies were blocked from U.S. networks because of their direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The American people deserve to know if Beijing is quietly using state-owned firms to infiltrate our critical infrastructure."
Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi highlighted the defiance shown by the companies toward the congressional investigation. He said, "China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom don’t just threaten U.S. national security—they’ve also blatantly defied a lawful congressional investigation."
The Committee is seeking to understand the activities these companies are conducting in the US, including operations involving network Points of Presence (PoPs), data centers, or cloud services, and the possible risks to national security. There is a growing bipartisan concern in Congress about the potential threats posed by these state-owned enterprises.
Further measures may be considered if the companies continue to withhold cooperation.
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