China's ZTE, under feds' scrutiny, aims to up its U.S. investments
The telecom company has expressed a commitment to raise its investment in the United States by 10 percent each year.
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ZTE isn't giving up on the U.S.
The Chinese telecommunications giant promised to grow its investment here by 10 percent annually as it looks to smooth over security concerns expressed by the U.S. government. ZTE's head of North America, Lixin Cheng, made the comment during a conference in Atlanta, which ZTE distributed as a statement.
"Put simply, we believe Chinese investment in the U.S. is beneficial for businesses in both countries," Cheng said in his remarks.
ZTE, alongside fellow Chinese company Huawei, faces scrutiny over whether its expansion here poses security risks. The U.S. House intelligence committee is seeking data from Huawei and ZTE over supposed ties to the Chinese military.
Huawei and ZTE have long maintained that their operations are independent of government influence and that their businesses are legitimate.
For ZTE, the long-standing goal has been to enter the U.S. market, seen as a lucrative growth area. The company has slowly worked to improve its relationship with the U.S. carriers and has started to work with the larger top-tier players, offering affordable smartphones.