15th July, 2020
The United States of America on Wednesday warned telecom companies around the world against doing business with the embattled Chinese technology giant, Huawei.
In a statement released by the Department of State, it said those doing business with the firm should consider themselves fraternising with “human rights abusers”.
“Telecommunications companies around the world should consider themselves on notice. If they are doing business with Huawei, they are doing business with human rights abusers,” the statement said.
It announced visa restrictions on some employees of Huawei and other unidentified Chinese tech firms for allegedly facilitating human right violations.
It alleged that certain Huawei employees “provide material support” to the Chinese government “that commits human rights abuses”.
President Donald Trump’s administration has been pressuring allies to cut Huawei off their 5G networks over cybersecurity concerns.
Trump accuses the Chinese government of using the company to conduct cyber espionage, an accusation Huawei denied.
In 2019, the U.S. government threatened to severe intelligence-sharing ties with allies that patronise Huawei 5G products.
Wednesday’s visa restriction announcement came barely 24 hours after the United Kingdom banned the company from its 5G networks.
Welcoming the ban, Pompeo said the UK had joined “a growing list of countries from around the world that are standing up for their national security”.
In June, Pompeo declared that “the tide is turning against Huawei as citizens around the world are waking up to the danger of the Chinese Communist Party’s surveillance state.”