Chinese diplomat dismisses US Huawei claims made at Munich Security Conference

A senior Chinese diplomat dismissed United States accusations that Chinese telecommunications company Huawei poses a threat to global political stability, at a security conference in Germany on Friday.

[Photo/Xinhua]

Fu Ying, vice-chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's 13th National People's Congress, was responding to concerns raised by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the Munich Security Conference, which hosts foreign leaders and security heads each year.

"Technology is a tool," Fu said. "China, since its reform started 40 years ago, has introduced all kinds of Western technologies - Microsoft, IBM, Amazon -- they are all active in China. 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G - all the technology came from Western countries, from the developed world, and China has maintained its political system. It is not threatened by these technologies. How, if Huawei's technology with 5G is introduced into Western countries, will it threaten the political system? Do you really think that the democratic system is so fragile that it could be threatened by this single high-tech company of Huawei."

Fu's comments drew applause from audience members at the conference. Pelosi had said that "China is seeking to export its digital autocracy" through Huawei.

"Nations cannot cede our telecommunications infrastructure to China for financial expediency," Pelosi said, noting that the US recognizes Huawei as a national security threat and restricts its engagement with US companies.

The US has heavily lobbied other nations to follow suit and boycott the Chinese company. German lawmakers remain divided on the Huawei question, while last month the United Kingdom ruled that Huawei may continue to operate in a restricted capacity.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's refusal to bar Huawei is thought to have greatly angered US President Donald Trump. Pelosi said that there is bipartisan opposition to Huawei in the US and that the world should not allow the "Sinification of 5G".

The UK has set a market share cap of 35 percent for Huawei equipment in 5G networks, ensuring that a diversity of companies are represented in British telecommunications infrastructure.