The United States' telecommunications regulator's proposal to bar Chinese telecommunications equipment providers Huawei and ZTE from its subsidy program is "economic bullying", and the U.S. should stop its defamation and unreasonable crackdown on Chinese companies, Beijing said on Tuesday.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Monday it will vote in November whether to bar communications companies from using its Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment or services from Huawei and ZTE, whom it accused of "posing a national security threat".
It will also vote whether to require carriers receiving the funding to remove existing Huawei and ZTE equipment and services.
China is firmly against the move, which "denies the market economy principle that the United States has always advertised, and will not gain recognition or support from the international community," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at Tuesday's news conference.
The U.S. is abusing its state power to crack down on the Chinese companies without providing any evidence to support its accusations, Geng said, adding that the move will hurt U.S. companies and consumers in the end.
Citing media reports, Geng said the U.S. Rural Wireless Association estimated that 25 percent of its members use equipment offered by Huawei or ZTE, and that it would cost $800 million to $1 billion to replace the equipment.
Geng urged the U.S. to stop generalizing the concept of national security, and provide a fair, just and undiscriminating environment for Chinese companies.
Tibet
In another development, Geng said on Tuesday that China is firmly against a recent meeting between the 14th Dalai Lama and Sam Brownback, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
The meeting, which took place in India, as well as remarks Brownback made, violated the U.S.' promise that it recognizes Tibet is part of China and does not support "Tibetan independence", Geng said.
The 14th Dalai Lama is a political exile who has long engaged in anti-China and separatist activities abroad under the guise of religion, Geng said, adding that China firmly opposes any contact between him and foreign officials.
The Chinese government supports religious freedom and has issued regulations to respect and protect the reincarnation of living Buddhas, Geng said.
The reincarnation of living Buddhas, including the Dalai Lama, should follow China's laws and regulations, as well as religious rituals and historical conventions, Geng added.
"We strongly urge the U.S. to stop conducting any kind of contact with the Dalai group, stop making irresponsible comments and stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China's domestic affairs," he said.
