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House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Mike Rogers on the U.S. facing a security threat from two Chinese telecom companies.
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Breaking news fears of China spying on our phone calls and email the House Intelligence Committee.
Has just issued -- rather dire warning saying the US faces a security threat from two Chinese Telecom companies operating our country.
We -- joined by the chairman of the house.
Committee that actually issued that report.
We've got -- -- Mike Rogers of Michigan with a thank you very much for being with us rep Rogers -- -- tell us.
The real threat you see here by allowing wow way to sell Telecom equipment in the US they sell one point five billion a year here.
Down the here here's the concern so you have a company that has clear child ties to the Chinese Government they couldn't dispute that.
Nor did they bother to dispute that.
And the government that we know is.
-- incredibly prolific in cyber espionage -- specially from private sector which is unheard of in history by the way to steal trillions.
Of dollars of intellectual property.
So now this Chinese company and their counterparts -- TD.
Wanna come into US networks did not just given to the networks they want -- control and be a -- of the backbone in the infrastructure.
Of our telecommunications.
Network which means all of the data your personal data could be your.
For personal finance it could mean your medical records as well as national security issues are gonna travel across the these networks.
-- listed companies have not been able -- to dissuade the committee.
And matter fact we have information to the contrary that they in fact when -- that night and use their equipment and in have.
Change their equipment for bugs and back towards weakening capabilities -- it's a huge huge concern.
I'm a former congressman you -- is what are your major evidence points of why we should be suspicious while -- and GT.
That they failed to convince the committee otherwise that they shouldn't be suspicious what seemed a little like.
-- to kill you -- your -- is out in your yearlong investigation did you find.
Clear evidence that they are now using up equipment to eavesdrop did you find any technical backdoor channels left open by their engineers to allow the Chinese Government -- -- come in and begin to monitor on -- switches and things.
Two faces the investigation so the reports you saw today as the unclassified version.
We also have a classified version.
And so at the unclassified version report lays out is that through interviews with current and former hallway employees.
Intelligence services.
Our foreign partners places like Australia and Great Britain.
The information that they participate in these bad activities is overwhelming so what we did it is the -- proprietary information.
And the criminal investigation information.
In our classified collected information goes in the classified annex tomorrow.
All of that information will be referred to the the FBI for full investigation C have bribery and corruption charges you have many examples brought to us -- giving -- back doors.
And anomalies built into their equipment so the answer to that is yes and so we wouldn't come out publicly and tell American consumers.
Not that your data may be at risk for companies who choose to use while weigh in CT he wouldn't do that.
Nor would we say our national security interest are at risk so you have to understand the level of this information is.
China comes back it's as you know Cisco is does business based in the US and and all congress should not and China should not -- -- -- because the US could eavesdrop.
-- I mean that's certainly a possibility it wouldn't be prudent for them to do that.
There's no American company is under the auspices of the US government like they are they have -- article eleven of this Chinese state secrets law.
Says that companies who operate through China.
-- to comply with their state secrets law in other words of the military intelligence and and civilian intelligence agencies and that we know are engaging in cyber espionage tell them we wanna use -- networks to do it they can't even say now.
There's nothing even close to that here in the United States right I argued I argue this stuff.
Because -- -- listen this is this is something we should raise to a bilateral level with China.
They have gone unfettered in this activity for years and all American companies know -- there's two companies left in America that have intellectual property those that have been hacked.
And know it and those that have been hacked and don't know what and that's about it.
They are prolific at this in now was the time to say listen we're just not gonna -- we're gonna get view our national success security framework.
Just because we're not gonna do that don't need to start playing by the rules international rules of -- yes.
Now what lays out with a statement today says that the US is a country ruled by law they say -- the committee took eleven months to complete report failed to provide clear information or evidence to substantiate.
Your concerns.
If you all that concerned of 4% of their entire worldwide sell through in the US having to move a little early here which is -- that I guess.
But -- also just outright ban.
Sales of handsets because that's most of their sales in this country because the handsets could be listening devices to listen to my phone call out that the Chinese care about my medical plans.
Well again -- you know all handsets are part of bigger networks we didn't come out and say ban the sale handsets that's not the focus of the investigation.
I -- argue that this isn't done and remember a lot of our information is coming from current and former while -- employees.
So of course they're gonna say -- didn't prove their point nothing to see here move along they've been saying that since the beginning.
And the problem is we gotten information they don't -- never rise -- all FBI agent I was always -- know the answer to half the questions that you ask.
They couldn't answer any of them they weren't responsive they did -- they were deliberately.
Not answering questions and trying to be intrusive on some of the answers that they gave back.
And we're certainly trying to obstruct.
Our ability to get all the information we need all right in the report we get a nice to have clear -- -- but a lot more than just a language problem -- it sounds like thank you so much for being on the congress of Mike Rogers would appreciate it.
