Huawei: Why the United States considers China's tech giant a threat to national security | Technology

Meng was arrested in Canada last week at the request of the United States, who accuse Huawei of using a subsidiary, Skycom, to circumvent the sanctions against Iran.

While Huawei insists that Skycom be As an independent enterprise, China calls for the immediate release of the executive and considers detention as a "human rights violation".

The Crown has asked the Meng Canadian Court not to grant parole until the extradition request from the United States is pending.

The executive asked for probation for health reasons after his arrest.

When he is extradited de facto, Meng will be accused of using his post to create a conspiracy and scam several financial institutions. Each of the crimes with which she is charged is punishable by up to 30 years.

Huawei holds 15% of the global mobile phone market and is currently the second largest producer. The company has been banned in several Western countries, who fear that Beijing will oblige it to disclose industrial secrets and other information that could jeopardize the national security of other people.

The fear is that the Chinese government will have access to the fifth generation (5G) mobile network and other Huawei communication networks in order to increase their espionage capability.

The United States, New Zealand and Australia have banned the use of technology and equipment of the company for security reasons. Canada, Germany, Japan and South Korea submitted the company for an badessment.

Huawei denies the allegations and insists that it is a private company, without any control of the Chinese government on its operations.

Is Huawei a threat to national security?

Ren Zhengfei, the founder of the company, with the Chinese army (he is a former leader of the People's Liberation Army of China) is one of the arguments invoked by the United States United to defend the idea that Huawei is a threat. to national security.

The country also worries about the growing importance that the company has gained in the global market.

Huawei has experienced rapid growth in the equipment market enabling mobile networks to operate. It is currently the largest supplier of telecommunications equipment in the world.

Theoretically, the control of technology that is at the center of the most important communication networks gives the company the ability to monitor and interfere in communications in the event of conflict.

The United States is particularly concerned about a standard adopted in 2017 by the National Intelligence Agency of China, which states that domestic companies must "support, cooperate and collaborate with national intelligence activities."

It is after the adoption of this standard that the United States, Australia and New Zealand have banned the use of Huawei's technology to create 5G networks .

The countries are three of the five members of the alliance known as the "Five Eyes", designed for intelligence cooperation.

The other members of the alliance are Canada, which is currently examining its relations with the company, and the United Kingdom, which has not yet taken any action against it. He simply asked him to solve the problems that pose "new risks". the network.

The company presents itself as a private company whose owners and employees have no connection with the Chinese government.

Huawei says that the safety of its products is one of its priorities and that "hostility" that it "victimizes" is due to the fact that the company is considered a commercial threat.

In the past, the Chinese government itself has stated that the blockade of Huawei's products was due to "protectionist and discriminatory practices".

Episodes of hostility against the company began in the context of a trade war between Washington and Beijing, President Donald Trump accusing China of unfair trade practices, facilitating the US intellectual property theft and imposing new rates. products.

However, several other countries are already considering introducing 5G communication networks simultaneously, and the scenario has become more competitive for companies seeking a contract.

"There is a war of regulation," says Emily Taylor of the British Chatham House study center.