US calls Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio 'clean telco' for rejecting work with China's Huawei

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday reiterated his attack on Chinese telecom company Huawei, calling it one of the tools of the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance state and said that the tide is turning toward trusted 5G vendors and away from Huawei. He listed Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio as among the "Clean Telcos" of the world for refusing to do business with Chinese companies like Huawei.

'They are rejecting doing business...'

"The tide is turning toward trusted 5G vendors and away from Huawei. The world’s leading telecom companies—Telefonica, Orange, Jio, Telstra, and many more—are becoming “Clean Telcos.” They are rejecting doing business with tools of the CCP surveillance state, like Huawei," Pompeo said in a tweet.

In another tweet, he said CCP’s behaviour could put American people’s security at risk.

According to media reports, Huawei has filed over 3,100 patents for 5G tech and claims to have secured over 90 contracts for 5G installations globally. Despite its successes, Huawei faces significant pushback from governments in the EU, the U.K., and, particularly, the U.S.

'Free nations deal in true friendship'

Earlier this month, China reportedly threatened to punish British bank, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), and to break commitments to build nuclear power plants in the United Kingdom unless London allows Huawei to build its 5G network because UK questioned its role in the handling of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Coming to the UK's defence, Pompeo had slammed China saying the nation's browbeating of London-headquartered HSBC bank to pressurise the UK for its projects should serve as a cautionary tale. In a statement, he said Shenzhen-based Huawei is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance state. 

READ | Mike Pompeo slams China's aggressive behaviour, uses Galwan valley face-off as reference

"The US stands with its allies and partners against the Chinese Communist Party's coercive bullying tactics. The Chinese Communist Party's browbeating of HSBC, in particular, should serve as a cautionary tale,” Pompeo said.

"The United States stands ready to assist our friends in the UK with any needs they have, from building secure and reliable nuclear power plants to developing trusted 5G solutions that protect their citizens’ privacy. Free nations deal in true friendship and desire mutual prosperity, not political and corporate kowtows,” he said.

READ | After issuing threats, China now wants Mike Pompeo to ‘address domestic affairs first’

Facebook-Jio deal gets CCI's nod

Meanwhile, in India, the Competition Commission on Wednesday said it has cleared Facebook's proposed acquisition of 9.99% stake in Jio Platforms, the digital arm of Reliance Industries. The USD 5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore) deal -- the single largest FDI in the technology sector in India -- was announced in April. The US social-networking major had set up a separate entity Jaadhu Holdings LLC for making the investment.

READ | Mike Pompeo says US stands with Canada against China's arbitrary detention of its citizens

READ | Mike Pompeo says vote on policing and race in US marks a 'new low' for UNHRC

(With PTI inputs)