US officials are seeking to block an undersea cable backed by Google, Facebook Inc. and Chinese partner, Dr. Peng Telecom & Media Group Co., in a national-security review that could rewrite the rules of internet connectivity between the US and China, said the Wall Street Journal.
The Justice Department, which leads a multiagency panel that reviews telecommunications matters, has signaled staunch opposition to the project because of concerns over its Chinese investor, Beijing-based Dr. Peng Telecom & Media Group Co., and the direct link to Hong Kong the cable would provide.
If the US rejects the undersea cable, it would be the first time it has ever denied an undersea cable license based on national security grounds, reported the WSJ.