WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday imposed sanctions on alleged hacker Yin Kecheng and cybersecurity company Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology Co., accusing both of being involved in a series of hacks against American telecom companies.

The State and Treasury Departments say Chinese cybersecurity vendor Sichuan Juxinhe is behind the hacks into numerous US telecommunications companies.

The outgoing head of the Federal Communications Commission said a massive Chinese-linked cyber-espionage operation against U.S. telecoms firms known as "Salt Typhoon" is a "clarion call" to address significant telecommunications security issues.