HUAWEI Technologies Co. said a proposed ban on selling its gear to some U.S. mobile providers isn’t lawful, pushing back against assertions it poses a risk as the Trump administration increases pressure on China over trade and national security.

The Shenzhen-based company’s presence in the United States “has been artificially restricted by unfounded allegations and suspicions based solely on misperceptions” about its relationship with China’s government, Huawei said in a filing with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that was made public earlier this week.

The agency under Chairman Ajit Pai, an appointee of U.S. President Donald Trump, has proposed barring telecommunications companies from using a federal subsidy to buy gear from companies such as Huawei and ZTE Corp. that are judged to be a national security risk.

Huawei, in its comments that became available Tuesday, said it’s an independent, privately owned business. Letting Huawei compete freely could yield savings, while restrictions “will result in excessive profits for a handful of other equipment suppliers in this highly concentrated market,” Huawei said.

The result would leave the United States falling behind other countries, with harm concentrated in remote and poor areas, according to the filing.

“The United States cannot afford to become the only country in the world that lacks access to the best communication technologies,” Huawei said in the filing.

The FCC’s authority over the subsidy, the Universal Service Fund, doesn’t encompass national security concerns, Huawei said.

The Competitive Carriers Association, with members including regional and rural mobile providers in the United States, opposes the FCC’s rule which will “devastate impacted rural carriers,” according to an emailed statement from the Washington-based trade group.

(SD-Agencies)