A former member of both Republican and Democrat administrations is concerned that two Chinese telecom giants pose major security threats to the U.S.
A congressional investigation has discovered Huawei and ZTE allegedly are using access privileges of its customers to steal secrets and forward the information to Beijing.
Frank Vernuccio, who is editor-in-chief of the New York Analysis of Policy & Government and maintains the House Intelligence Committee's report, indicates the two telecom companies present threats of economic and military espionage or cyber attacks.
"They are kind of like the fox in the henhouse," Vernuccio says. "They install telecommunications equipment so whatever you use over the telephone or over the Internet, if they have provided the hardware or the software, they can use 'back doors' in their systems to get information."
Vernuccio, also co-host of the New Rochelle-based radio program, "... And Nothing But The Truth," said he is troubled that it was not the Obama administration that launched the investigation of the companies, but Congress. He contends some in the administration wrongly compare the structure of Chinese businesses to U.S. companies.
"The government in China is actually a senior partner in all private enterprises, so they have access to the records. They can use those companies, if they think necessary, for national defense or any other national purposes they want," he explains.
"So when we allow a Chinese company to come in and deal with sensitive equipment or sensitive positions, we are really getting a little bit more than we bargained for."
Allegations of bribery or corruption, transactions with Iran, and ties with China's military and the Communist Party are cited as significant concerns about the two companies.