A bipartisan US House panel is demanding answers from top Chinese telecom firms--China Mobile (HKG:0941, SHA:600941), China Telecom (HKG:0728, SHA:601728), and China Unicom (HKG:0762)--over potential national security threats linked to their US operations, Reuters reported March 7.

Lawmakers Raja Krishnamoorthi and John Moolenaar have asked the companies to disclose any ties to the Chinese government and military by March 31, according to the report.

Citing a 2024 Commerce Department probe, the lawmakers warned that the firms' US cloud and internet services could enable espionage or unauthorized data access by Beijing. Concerns have intensified following major cyberattacks, including Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, which compromised American telecom infrastructure, Reuters wrote.

The Federal Communications Commission previously restricted these companies' operations, but they can still provide cloud services and route US internet traffic, according to the report.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)