By Ovunc Kutlu
ANKARA (AA) – The US subpoenaed several Chinese technology companies that provide information and communications technology and services (ICTS) in the US, according to the Commerce Department.
Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo said Wednesday that the President Joe Biden administration "has been clear that the unrestricted use of untrusted ICTS poses a national security risk. Beijing has engaged in conduct that blunts our technological edge and threatens our alliances."
The move will allow the US to collect information from Chinese firms to protect the security of American companies, workers and American national security, according to Raimondo.
"Trusted information and communications technology and services are essential to our national and economic security and remain a top priority for the Biden-Harris administration," she said.
"The Administration is firmly committed to taking a whole-of-government approach to ensure that untrusted companies cannot misappropriate and misuse data and ensuring that U.S. technology does not support China’s or other actors’ malign activities," she added.
Although the agency did not name the companies, the US Federal Communications Commission designated five Chinese firms this week as "threat to US national security,” including Huawei, ZTE and Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, Hytera Communications and Zhejiang Dahua Technology.
Intellectual property rights, technology transfer and 5G technology have been key and unresolved topics in US-China trade talks during former President Donald Trump administration who wanted American firms to shift manufacturing from China to the US.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan are set to meet China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi today in Alaska.
