China Approves 166 Foreign Telecoms Licenses Amid US Carrier Block

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has approved licenses for 166 foreign companies to provide value-added telecoms services (VAS) since February 2024, covering internet data centers, internet access, and information services. The move lifts the previous 50% foreign ownership cap, allowing wholly foreign-owned enterprises to operate in pilot zones including Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan, and Shenzhen. Industry analysts, such as Yang Guang of Omdia, suggest the impact on China's domestic market will be limited as the opened sectors are already fiercely competitive and the easing remains restricted to pilot zones. The announcement comes as the US seeks to block Chinese carriers.