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Telecommunications. China

ZTE Corporation

In March 2017 ZTE agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to violate US sanctions law by sending US items to Iran, plus obstruction of justice and a false statement count, with a combined US penalty of US$1.19 billionS1S6. In a parallel Commerce settlement ZTE admitted shipping telecommunications equipment to North KoreaS7. On 15 April 2018 the Commerce Department activated a suspended denial order after ZTE falsely told the government it had disciplined employeesS2S7. A June 2018 settlement added a US$1 billion penalty and US$400 million in escrow, and the April 2018 order was terminated in July 2018S2S8. A US judge let the five-year probation end in March 2022S3. In December 2025 Reuters reported a Justice Department bribery probeS4. ZTE said it was in talks with the departmentS5.

Also known as
ZTE, Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment
Headquarters
China
Records from
United States
Current status
Operating telecommunications equipment maker. Its five-year US criminal probation from the 2017 plea ended after a March 2022 court rulingS3. A 10-year suspended denial order from the 2018 Commerce settlement remains in placeS2. Reuters reported in December 2025 that the Justice Department is investigating foreign bribery allegations, with no resolution announcedS4S5.

Scope. This record covers US export control, sanctions and bribery matters involving ZTE Corporation. It does not cover the separate J-1 visa case against a former ZTE research director, in which ZTE was not chargedS3, or other Chinese telecom firms.

Claims assessed

4 claims. Scores grade the evidence for each claim, not the organization.

Cases and proceedings

Responses on record

Revision history

Source records

  1. S1Tier A ZTE Corporation Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay Over $430.4 Million for Violating U.S. Sanctions by Sending U.S.-Origin Items to IranUS Department of Justice. Regulator press release. 7 March 2017.Supports the plea, the three counts, the Iran conduct and the combined US$1.19 billion penalty. It does not mention North Korea or give a docket number.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  2. S3Tier C US judge rules in favour of China’s ZTE, ending probationReuters, republished by Al Jazeera. Press report. 23 March 2022.Reuters report on the end of probation and the judge's comments. No individual byline is shown and the court order was not read.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  3. S2Tier A Commerce Department Lifts Ban After ZTE Deposits Final Tranche of $1.4 Billion PenaltyUS Department of Commerce. Regulator press release. 13 July 2018.Supports the 15 April 2018 activation, its reason, the US$1 billion penalty, the US$400 million escrow and the 10-year suspended order.
  4. S8Tier A Order Terminating Denial Order Issued on April 15, 2018, Against Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation and ZTE Kangxun Telecommunications Ltd.Federal Register, US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security. Regulator order. 23 July 2018.Confirms the 15 April 2018 order, the 8 June 2018 superseding order, the payments and the 10-year suspended denial. It does not mention North Korea.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  5. S5Tier C ZTE cooperating with US gov't amid bribery allegationsDatacenterDynamics. Press report. 17 December 2025.Article by Paul Lipscombe quoting a ZTE board statement on talks with the Justice Department. It reports no resolution.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  6. S4Tier C China's ZTE may pay more than US$1 billion to the US over foreign bribery allegations, sources sayReuters, republished by The Standard. Press report. 11 December 2025.Reports an FCPA probe based on two unnamed sources. It does not establish any wrongdoing or agreed amount.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  7. S6Tier A Plea Agreement, United States of America v. ZTE CorporationUS Department of Justice. Plea agreement. 7 March 2017.Gives the court, the case number and the three counts. It cites the Iranian sanctions rules and does not mention North Korea. The scanned caption is partly illegible.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  8. S7Tier A Order Activating Suspended Denial Order Relating to Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation and ZTE Kangxun Telecommunications Ltd.US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security. Regulator order. April 2018.Recites the 2017 settlement, including ZTE's admission of North Korea shipments, and the false statements on discipline. The day of issue is illegible in the copy read and is taken from S2 and S8.