This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
As China races to close a technology gap with the United States, major state telecom operators are rolling out 5G wireless advances in the country. The new-generation telecommunication networks move data at blazing speeds, promising economic and technological advantages to countries where they are deployed.
US regulators have proposed rules to block telecom carriers from buying from Chinese tech companies Huawei and ZTE, and to remove any of their equipment already in place. The US Federal Communications Commission said the rules, to be voted on November 19, 2019, were part of an initiative to 'safeguard the nation's communications networks.'
Huawei and ZTE have been accused of posing a national security threat due to their close ties to the Beijing government. Both companies have repeatedly denied the allegations.
AFP sat down with Huawei US vice president of public affairs Joy Tan to ask her three questions. When asked about the proposal of the US regulators, Tan said, 'Huawei has never had any major cybersecurity-related incident. I think targeting specific vendors based on country origins will not make America's communication network more secure.'
Tan also stated that the proposed rules will only impact rural operators and the most underserved areas in the US, and will further widen the digital divide and slow the pace of economic development. She added that Huawei procures $11 billion in goods and services from US suppliers each year, creating about 40,000 to 50,000 US jobs.
On the deployment of 5G, Tan said that South Korea and the US started launching 5G last year, and already 3.5 million people are on 5G services. China is moving very fast in terms of 5G deployment, and Huawei is definitely leading commercial deployment of 5G. The company's most recent 5G base stations are shipped without any US components.
When asked if Huawei needs to work with the US, Tan replied, 'We want to work with them. Huawei's principle is always to collaborate with the best companies around the world, so that's why we continue to want to engage with the US companies.'
She also mentioned that Huawei's Harmony OS has a different purpose compared to Android or iOS, and is a lightweight, compact operating system with powerful functionalities. The company uses Harmony OS for smart watches and smart screens in vehicles, and smart speakers first.
Related Topics: Huawei 5G 5G network
