ZTE Corp. has hit back at U.S. lawmakers who propose banning its products' use by U.S. government agencies, stressing that it remains a trusted partner of U.S. suppliers and customers, Xinhua News Agency reported.

A spokesperson said the Chinese telecom equipment company is serious in tackling cybersecurity and privacy issues and will follow "all applicable laws and regulations of the [U.S.], work with carriers to pass strict testing protocols and adhere to the highest business standards."

Senators Tom Cotton and Marco Rubio introduced legislation in the week of Feb. 5 that would stop the U.S. government from buying or leasing telecom equipment from ZTE and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., citing concerns the companies may use their access to spy on U.S. officials.

Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. earlier backed out of deals with Huawei to sell its smartphones in the U.S. amid pressure from the American government over national security concerns.

More recently, directors of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Security Agency discouraged private citizens from using ZTE and Huawei products in a Senate inquiry, according to Xinhua.