New Zealand says that Huawei is not banned because it's Chinese, Australia / NZ News & Best Stories



[ad_1]

WELLINGTON (AFP) – New Zealand denied on Thursday (November 29th) that telecommunications giant Huawei had been banned from deploying the 5G network because it was Chinese, saying it was about the 39, a technological problem.

Wellington also rejected reports that its intelligence services would be under pressure from allies of the spy network "Five Eyes" to ban Huawei, while cyber security and its potential links with Beijing were threat.

"It's not about the country, not even about the company, but about the proposed technology," Andrew Little, the minister of the government security bureau's intelligence agency, told national radio. (GCSB).

"I can say with great assurance that there has been no representation at the GCSB of Australia, the United States, everywhere, how it should be there." take to make his decision. "

The main New Zealand carrier, Spark, said on Wednesday that the GCSB had rejected a plan to use Huawei technology in its next-generation 5G network, citing "significant risks to national security."

China, New Zealand's largest trading partner in a year-on-year relationship of NZD 26 billion ($ 24.4 billion Singapore), said it was "deeply concerned" by the ban. .

The two countries signed a free trade agreement and the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it hoped "New Zealand would provide a level playing field for all Chinese companies operating in New Zealand".

Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei, is a former engineer of the People's Liberation Army of China, which has raised fears of close ties with the Chinese military and the Chinese government, which Huawei has always denied.

Mr. Little declined to explain the security threat posed by Spark's plan, stating that "the use of this technology is a risk", but the details have been classified.

He stated that the GCSB had taken a number of factors into account in making its decision.

"We know that telecommunication networks, like other infrastructures, are now vulnerabilities around the world in the face of incursions, cyberattacks and others," he said.

"So, nowadays, we have to make sure everything is done to protect our country from these risks."

Mr. Little insisted that Huawei did not face an absolute ban, stating that Spark had the option to contact the GCSB to see if there were any ways to reduce security risks.

5G or fifth generation wireless communication offers fast connections that allow you to download a feature in less than a second.

It is considered the key to providing new technologies such as driverless cars and remote surgical procedures.

US lawmakers have expressed concern over Huawei's spying potential. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Washington was urging its allies to exclude 5G deployments.

Australia has banned Huawei and another Chinese company, ZTE, from participating in its 5G network in August.

The other members of the intelligence sharing group "Five Eyes" are Canada and Great Britain.

[ad_2]
Source link