US AUTHORITIES have moved to expel China Telecom from the US market in the latest bid to drive out Chinese firms.

The Federal Communications Commission claimed that the publicly owned company might be used to eavesdrop on US communications or “engage in espionage and other harmful activities,” though it did not offer any evidence of such activity.

The Joe Biden administration has followed Donald Trump’s in trying to “decouple” high-tech industries from Chinese companies in a bid to sabotage Chinese technological development.

The highest-profile victim has been comms giant Huawei, which has seen its contract to develop Britain’s 5G network revoked by London under pressure from the US. 

Its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou received a hero’s welcome as she returned to work in Shenzhen this week, with crowds gathering to cheer her as she emerged from quarantine. 

Ms Meng had fought a three-year battle against extradition to the US following her arrest in Canada because of accusations that she had helped facilitate business activities in Iran that violated US sanctions on the country.