The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a request by Google to use a segment of an US-Asia undersea fiber optic cable as a cost saving measure for delivering Internet traffic. US regulators had previously prohibited use of the Pacific Light Cable Network System paid for by Google and Facebook. Regulators will now allow Google over the next six months pending review to operate the section between the United States and Taiwan excluding Hong Kong over national security concerns due to its relationship with China. China and the United States' relationship has cooled over the COVID-19 pandemic and previous trade disputes and security issues.