Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official U.S. House headshot
The House Select Committee on China has issued subpoenas to Chinese telecommunications companies China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom. This action follows the companies' lack of response to a bipartisan congressional request for information sent on March 4. The subpoenas, demanding compliance by May 7, 2025, are part of an investigation into the potential impact of these companies' operations in the United States on national security and data privacy.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has previously prohibited these firms from providing licensed telecom services in the U.S. Despite this, there are concerns based on public reports and intelligence that the companies might still have equipment and infrastructure in the country, which could pose security risks.
Chairman John Moolenaar commented, “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. The CCP’s refusal to play by the rules—and these companies’ refusal to provide basic transparency—is unacceptable. Congress will not stand idly by while the Chinese government exploits loopholes to threaten our national security.”
Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi emphasized, "China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom don’t just threaten U.S. national security—they’ve also blatantly defied a lawful congressional investigation. With these bipartisan subpoenas, they now face a clear choice: comply with the law or face the consequences. As the Chinese Communist Party wages aggressive cyberattacks and undermines Americans’ privacy, we will accept nothing less than full compliance. Chinese state-owned entities are not above the law."
The Committee is currently examining the activities of these companies in the U.S., including the maintenance of network Points of Presence (PoPs), data centers, or cloud-related services, and the potential threats to national security. This move reflects concerns within Congress about state-owned enterprises linked to foreign intelligence services.
An exclusive report from Reuters provides further details on the subpoenas and the investigation.
If the companies continue to resist cooperation, the Committee is considering additional measures to ensure accountability and transparency.
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