In an article published on May 14 in The Hill, Bill Lawrence provides insight on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) recent action against China Mobile, and its ongoing investigations into two other Chinese telecom giants amid tense, high-stakes trade negotiations.

The FCC is ramping up its battle against Chinese telecom companies as the Trump administration pursues an aggressive trade strategy against China.

U.S.-China trade negotiations ended without a deal last week after months of talks.

The U.S. increased tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, and Beijing on Monday morning retaliated with tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. imports, and neither side shows any sign of backing down.

Which also comes at a time where the U.S. seeks to get a leg up in its race to implement next-generation wireless services, known as 5G, ahead of China.

Experts state that the FCC’s decision to block China Mobile USA is only the latest broadside by the commission against Chinese telecom influence, and one of the many ways the Trump administration is putting pressure on China as trade talks deadlock.

“The FCC’s approach to China is based upon protecting the U.S.’s economic interests and, perhaps more importantly, the FCC’s knowledge that were the U.S. to lose control of the ‘Internet of Things’ due to China’s 5G dominance, it would cede significant geopolitical control and stability too,” details Lawrence.

It is unlikely the FCC’s China Mobile decision will move the needle in the U.S.-China trade talks, but as the two economic superpowers wrangle over trade, the U.S. will look for other ways to keep up pressure on Chinese telecom companies.

The full article may be accessed here.