Top US defence official warns NATO allies of Huawei 5G 'threat'

The United States on Saturday issued a series of attacks on Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei after the world's largest tech firm was hit with fresh criminal charges in the country. United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo while talking at Munich Security Conference said that the company is like a trojan horse for Chinese intelligence and urged NATO allies to not allow it to build new 5G communications networks.

Read: Boris Johnson Dealing With Tory Backlash Over Huawei Inclusion In 5G Network

United States Secretary of Defence Mark Esper also reiterated Washington's stance and said that the Chinese company poses a threat that could easily compromise what is the most successful military alliance in history and that is NATO. However, key US allies in Europe, the United Kingdom, and France have earlier said that they would allow the company to function and will not ban it from building 5G networks in their respective countries but with restrictions.

Read: Germany: Telecom Rules Leave 5G Network Door Open For Huawei Entry

Huawei-US conflict

The United States had earlier requested other countries including its allies in Europe to ensure that only reliable vendors participate in any part of their future 5G networks. The Trump administration has cited potential privacy breach by Chinese telecom companies and the threat of possible data misuse while urging their allies to be cautious. China, however, has called out the company's treatment in the United States and has equated it with 'economic bullying'.

Read: 'Beware China': Mike Pompeo Warns Countries In Europe, Central Asia

The United States is taking the matter of risks attached to 5G networks very seriously as it constantly puts pressure on Chinese telecom giant Huawei. The pressure was motivated by fears in Washington that the company's founder Ren Zhengfei has close ties with the Communist Party of China and it poses a potential security threat to the state. In May 2019, the Trump administration blocked American companies from doing any business with the Chinese firm citing a violation of US sanctions on Iran.

Read: US Urges European Countries To Do Business With Trusted Vendors For Future Of 5G Networks

(With Agency Inputs)