Huawei issues open letter to Australia over security concerns
The Chinese telecom giant hits back over criticism that it poses a security risk for Australia's 5G roll-out.
Huawei can't catch a break but that doesn't mean it's not trying.
The Chinese telecoms company just issued an open letter to Australian authorities over recent criticism that if it was allowed to participate in the country's upcoming 5G roll-out, control of the country's infrastructure could fall into the hands of Beijing. This comes as Huawei deals with US concerns over the Chinese telecoms giant's potential security risks as well as having had big name retailers stop selling its phones .
The open letter, written by Huawei Australia Chairman John Lord and two of its board directors, called the recent reports "ill-informed and not based on facts" while claiming to be "good and safe" for the country. It was also pointed out that Huawei has 5G investments in the UK and New Zealand, while stating that any rule-breaking would end its businesses overnight in the countries it has interests in.
It's not the first time Huawei has clashed with the Australian government. The company was banned in 2012 from participating in Australia's $38 billion National Broadband Network project.
Australia's Attorney-General refused to comment on the letter, reported Reuters. But it pointed out that an upcoming bill, which would require individuals to declare links with foreign governments, would cause the letter to be "seen in a different light" once it was passed.
