Huawei increased pressure on the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to drop a proposed rule which would block operators from using government funds to buy its equipment.

The FCC initiated proceedings on the move in April 2018, but has not yet taken action to approve it.

If implemented, the rule would bar operators from using federal funds to purchase equipment from vendors deemed national security threats, which would likely include Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE.

The measure is separate from a law passed by Congress which blocks federal contractors from using Huawei kit against which the vendor initiated legal action last week.

In a new filing against the FCC move, Huawei slammed the policy as “futile” and “counterproductive”, noting “even the most ‘trusted’ manufacturer may have vulnerabilities”.

It reiterated claims that blocking its equipment from the US market could hinder 5G deployments, and highlighted ongoing work with government agencies in the UK and Germany to address security concerns.

Huawei said “the FCC has yet to take any useful action”, calling on it to immediately terminate an ongoing review of the proposal and instead work with other federal agencies to “implement a more comprehensive, holistic approach to supply chain security”.