Sprint Nextel is excluding Chinese telecommunications-equipment makers
Huawei Technologies and ZTE from a contract worth billions of dollars
largely because of national security concerns in Washington.
The Defense Department and some U.S. lawmakers have been increasingly
concerned about the two companies’ ties to the Chinese government and
military, and the security implications of letting their equipment into
critical U.S. infrastructure. Some officials argue China’s military could
use Huawei or ZTE equipment to disrupt or intercept American communications.
