China US Photo:Global Times

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) claimed on Wednesday local time that it will vote on rules to secure cables against foreign adversaries, like China. A Chinese expert noted that the move is another US unilateral measure based on subjective assumptions, warning of an adverse impact on the development of the US infrastructure improvement.

According to a press release by the FCC, Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday shared a related report and order for consideration at a Commission’s August 7 meeting. Carr claimed that submarine cable infrastructure has been threatened in recent years by “foreign adversaries, like China”. It will take action to guard submarine cables against foreign adversary ownership, and access as well as cyber and physical threats, he said in the press conference.

Once the measure has been adopted, groups using restricted Chinese technology will be unable to secure FCC licenses to build or operate cables that connect to the US. They will also be banned from leasing capacity on cables laid by other companies, the Financial Times reported.

“The Wednesday’s announcement represents another unilateral measure imposed by the US under the pretext of national security, which is a typical baseless speculation and smear,” Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Zhou said that the products, technical services, and solutions provided by Chinese cable companies can effectively reduce costs and improve reliability. The US move will have an adverse impact on the development of the internet in the US and the improvement of its infrastructure, he said.

Moreover, the US government's suppression of Chinese companies under the pretext of national security creates substantial obstacles to building mutual trust and moving toward cooperation between China and the US, while also hindering the upgrading of US technology and the development of its digital economy, the expert noted.

“The internet is inherently interconnected, allowing information to flow freely across various networks through different physical infrastructure. The unilateral move will also damage the development of the global digital economy,” Zhou warned.

In September 2024, Lin Jian, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said the US has in recent years blatantly contravened international rules and business operation models, built a small yard with high fences targeted at China in the field of undersea cables, and kept abusing state power to go after and suppress Chinese companies, products and technologies.

“Undersea cables are typical international infrastructure for civilian uses, which bear on global cyber connectivity and the wellbeing of people around the world. China firmly opposes the US turning undersea cables into a political and security issue, which severely disrupts international market rules, threatens global digital connectivity and cybersecurity, and denies other countries, especially developing countries, the right to develop their undersea cable industry and independently choose undersea cable suppliers. China will, as always, firmly defend the lawful and legitimate interests of Chinese companies, support the international community in conducting undersea cable cooperation under the principles of fairness, justice, equality and inclusiveness, and firmly oppose the US’ unilateral and hegemonic moves,” Lin noted.