U.S., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made these comments on live television in an interview on Fox Business Network.

With China’s government threatening to restrict the sale of rare earth to the U.S., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo kept up the pressure on Huawei Technologies Co Ltd saying telecom equipment maker takes orders from Beijing.

“Huawei is an instrument of the Chinese government,” said Pompeo in an interview on Fox Business Network. “They’re deeply connected. It’s something that’s hard for Americans to understand.”