76% of Canadians want Huawei banned from 5G networks

Following the conclusion of the extradition process for Huawei’s CFO, a new poll by one of Canada’s major newspapers reveals national sentiment has hardened towards China.

Canada was essentially an unwitting proxy in the geopolitical battle of wills between the US and China when the former got it to arrest Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou at the end of 2018, pending extradition to the US on charges of fraud. That process eventually resolved itself last month with her release, but not without collateral damage.

Not long after Meng’s arrest two Canadians were also imprisoned in China, with no charges announced for 18 months, only to be released on the same day she was. Understandably the treatment of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor has been perceived by Canada and other countries as simply a way to generate a bargaining chip to secure Meng’s release. In other words, hostage diplomacy.

It seems Canadian citizens concur, with a recent poll published in the Globe and Mail revealing that 76% of Canadians think their government should ban Huawei from Canada’s 5G networks. That represents a big jump from the 53% figure in an equivalent poll conducted two years ago. The report strongly indicates that the situation with ‘the two Michaels’ is likely a major factor in that shift in sentiment.

Once more the activities of the Chinese Communist Party seem to be causing harm to Chinese companies on the global context. We’re not aware of any definitive statements made by the Canadian government on the security implications of Huawei 5G kit specifically, so if it does end up being excluded from the Canadian market it will probably be as a consequence of its nationality. A decision on that matter is expected soon.

In related news Huawei continues to diversify, according to a report by Chinese state-owned media CGTN. It derived the rumour from Chinese tech site TMT Post that Huawei has set up new business units focusing on providing services to new verticals, specifically ports, highways, data networks and solar plants. There doesn’t seem to be any public statement from Huawei itself on the matter, but it’s consistent with the company’s current strategy, and the curated nature of Chinese state-owned media makes it less likely to indulge in pure speculation.