Huawei hits back at Australian paranoia

Huawei has written an open letter to Australian members of Parliament hitting back at the claims the company is a security risk, as it scraps for survival in the 5G race.

Like the US, the Australian government is finding issue with supposed ties between Huawei and the Chinese government, with the vendor creeping towards the banned list on the eve of the 5G revolution. As you would expect, Huawei is not going to loosen its dominance on the telecoms infrastructure world without a fight, and as with most responses in the industry, it has come in the form of a letter.

“Recent public commentary around China has referenced Huawei and its role in Australia and prompted some observations around security concerns,” Huawei Australia Chairman John Lord and board directors John Brumby and Lance Hockridge wrote in the letter. “Many of these comments are ill-informed and not based on facts.”

Reports emerged in recent weeks the Australians were finding interest in US intelligence reports over the ties between the vendor and the government. Paranoia in the US is far from uncommon, but it does appear the rest of the world are starting to take notice as well.

Looking at the letter, Huawei decided to point out to the Australian government it is currently the biggest provider of telecoms infrastructure in the country for its 4G networks, a process which was both smooth and safe for the country. Listing the companies it has already worked with, such as NSW Ambulance, University of Tasmania, Gold Coast Suns and Santos, as well as Vodafone, and Optus’ networks, the strategy here seems to be rely on the success of exciting relationships not accusations from a government which has something to gain. Elsewhere in the world, Huawei technology has been deployed in national security frameworks in countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, New Zealand, and Italy.

Huawei is a company which is under heavy scrutiny at the moment. Perhaps there is genuine evidence of collusion with the Chinese government, or maybe this is just another example of governments looking for a reason not to work with Huawei. The vendor dominated the 4G world, possibly distorting competition and creating an unhealthy ecosystem; perhaps this is something the industry is keen to avoid repeating.