US Will Rethink Cooperation With Allies That Use Huawei: Official

US Will Rethink Cooperation With Allies That Use Huawei: Official
Company logo at the office of Huawei in Beijing in a file photo. (Reuters/Thomas Peter)
Reuters
4/29/2019
Updated:
4/29/2019

LONDON—Washington does not see any distinction between core and non-core parts of 5G networks and will reassess sharing information with any allies which use equipment made by China’s Huawei, a U.S. cybersecurity official said on April 29.

“It is the United States’ position that putting Huawei or any other untrustworthy vendor in any part of the 5G telecommunications network is a risk,” said Robert Strayer, deputy assistant secretary for cyber, international communications and information policy at the State Department.

“If other countries insert and allow untrusted vendors to build out and become the vendors for their 5G networks we will have to reassess the ability for us to share information and be connected with them in the ways that we are today,” he said.

Huawei, the world’s biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying.

Sources told Reuters last week that Britain’s National Security Council had decided to bar China’s Huawei Technologies from all core parts of the 5G network but still allow it in non-core parts with some increased restrictions.

The news was leaked to a national newspaper. The leak of secret discussions has sparked anger in parliament and amongst Britain’s intelligence community. Britain’s most senior civil servant Mark Sedwill has launched an inquiry and written to ministers who were at the meeting.
By Jack Stubb