U.S., Britain Issue Warnings Over Chinese Telecom Equipment Maker ZTE

Moves come as the West steps up scrutiny of Chinese firms over national security concerns

Jason Douglas and

Robert Wall

Updated April 16, 2018 9:59 p.m. ET

U.S. and British officials struck separate blows at telecommunications-equipment giant ZTE Corp., ratcheting up national-security scrutiny of a big Chinese company amid broader economic tensions between Washington and Beijing.

British cybersecurity officials warned U.K. phone carriers to stay clear of ZTE’s equipment and services, citing concern about the potential that Beijing could force the company to help it infiltrate or sabotage telecoms infrastructure. The U.S. Commerce Department, separately, banned American companies...