A vendor sells goods at the historic Al-Hamidiyah Bazaar adjacent to the Umayyad Mosque during the early days of Ramadan in Damascus, Syria, on February 18, 2026. Photo: VCG

The US is reportedly pressuring Syria to abandon Chinese telecom systems, which could leave Syrian people struggle to stay connected, a Chinese expert said on Friday. The move, based on the paranoia of some in the US, has laid bare the US' hegemonic mindset, the expert said.

The US has warned Syria against relying on Chinese technology in its telecommunications sector, claiming it conflicts with US interests and threatens US national security, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

The pressure from the US side came as Syria explores the possibility of procuring Chinese technology to support its telecommunications towers and the infrastructure of local internet service providers, Reuters reported, citing a Syrian businessman.

The pressure was conveyed during a meeting between a US State Department team and Syrian Communications Minister Abdulsalam Haykal in San Francisco on Tuesday. But Syrian officials said infrastructure development projects are time-critical and that Damascus is seeking greater vendor diversity, Reuters reported.

The Syrian ministry of telecommunications noted that US restrictions "hinder the availability of many American technologies and services in the Syrian market," and that it welcomes expanding cooperation with US companies when these restrictions are lifted.

A Chinese expert said that the reported US pressure on Syria against using Chinese telecom equipment is an act of audacious intervention in the country's domestic affairs and has laid bare the hegemonic mindset of some US officials.

"As the implementation of US export control rules also has an impact on European telecom equipment makers, should the Syrian government comply, it will face the situation of having no telecom suppliers to serve its needs," Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Zhongguancun Modern Information Consumer Application Industry Technology Alliance, a telecom industry association, told the Global Times on Friday.

Considering the country is still healing after 14 years of war, the prospect of the Syrian people being denied the right to modern wireless communication is appalling and laid bare the callousness and cruel disregard to the local people, Xiang said.

According to the Reuters report, a US State Department spokesperson claimed that Chinese intelligence and security services "can legally compel Chinese citizens and companies to share sensitive data or grant unauthorized access to their customers' systems."

China has repeatedly rejected allegations of it using technology for spying purposes.

At a January 21 press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to media inquiries about EU plans to phase out components and equipment from so-called high-risk third-country suppliers. Guo said that to forcefully limit or ban companies from the European market without any evidence and based on non-technical standards would seriously violate market principles and fair competition.

"Facts prove that in a handful of countries, phasing out quality, safe and secure Chinese telecom equipment not only stifles digital and cyberspace advancement, but also causes huge economic losses," Guo said.

Syria has inadequate telecommunications infrastructure, with weak network coverage outside city centers and connection speeds in many areas barely exceeding a few kilobits per second, according to Reuters. 

It also shows US hypocrisy, because the US itself is still using Chinese telecom gear in many of its rural areas, Xiang pointed out, as Chinese suppliers offer the best products, service and affordability.