Telecoms sector faces graft probe

Anti-graft officials are to investigate the multi-billion dollar deals foreign telecom equipment makers have secured in supplying the Chinese telecom market, the South China Morning Post reported. Among those facing investigation is US-based Lucent Technologies, which has submitted to Chinese authorities an 800-page report into possible violations of US anti-corruption law involving its China operations, the paper said. Several of China's biggest telecoms providers are Lucent clients with their business accounting for 11% of Lucent's worldwide revenue in 2003. The investigation comes ahead of much-anticipated announcement expected next year on China's 3G standard and follows a recent surprise decision to reshuffle the heads of China's big four telecom companies – China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and China Netcom.