Trump administration says Huawei, Hikvision backed by Chinese military - document

USA - WASHINGTON. The Trump administration has determined that top Chinese firms, including telecoms equipment giant Huawei Technologies and video surveillance company Hikvision (002415.SZ), are owned or controlled by the Chinese military, laying the groundwork for new U.S. financial sanctions, according to a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the authenticity of the document and said it had been sent to Congress. Washington placed Huawei on a trade blacklist last year over national security concerns and has led an international campaign to convince allies to exclude it from their 5G networks.

The list of 20 companies that Washington alleges are backed by the Chinese military and operate in the United States was first reported by Reuters. It also includes China Mobile Communications Group (0941.HK) and China Telecommunications Corp as well as aircraft manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China.

The designations were drawn up by the Defense Department, which was mandated by a 1999 law to compile a list of Chinese military companies operating in the United States, including those “owned or controlled” by the People’s Liberation Army that provide commercial services, manufacture, produce or export.

The Pentagon’s designations do not trigger penalties, but the law says the president may impose sanctions that could include blocking all property of the listed parties.

Huawei, Hikvision, China Mobile, China Telecom, AVIC and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

The Pentagon has come under pressure from lawmakers of both U.S. political parties to publish the list, amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over technology, trade and foreign policy.

Last September, top U.S. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, Republican Senator Tom Cotton and Republican Representative Mike Gallagher penned a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper raising concerns about Beijing’s enlisting of Chinese corporations to harness emerging civilian technologies for military purposes.

“Will you commit to updating and publicly releasing this list as soon as possible?” they asked in the letter.