Putting Huawei in any part of 5G telecommunications network is a risk - US

The United States on Monday clarified its stand on Huawei, saying that putting the Chinese tech giant or any other untrustworthy vendor in any part of the 5G telecommunications network is a risk. "Washington does not see any distinction between core and non-core parts of 5G networks and will reassess sharing information with any allies which use equipment made by China's Huawei," said Robert Strayer, deputy assistant secretary for cyber, international communications and information policy at the US State Department.

"If other countries insert and allow untrusted vendors to build out and become the vendors for their 5G networks we will have to reassess the ability for us to share information and be connected with them in the ways that we are today," the US cybersecurity official warned.

Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, faces pushback in some Western markets over fears Beijing could spy on communications and gain access to critical infrastructure. The Chinese conglomerate is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. Huawei has categorically denied this.

Huawei is the leading manufacturer of equipment for 5G mobile networks with an almost instantaneous data transfer that will become the nervous system of Europe's economy, in strategic sectors like energy, transport, banking and health care. Last week, British Prime Minister Theresa May conditionally allowed Huawei Technologies to build the UK 5G network, but Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Monday urged caution over the role of Huawei in the UK, saying the government should think carefully before opening its doors to the technology giant to develop next-generation 5G mobile networks.

Also, the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, last week, assured China's Huawei Technologies that it would not face discrimination in the rollout of Italy's 5G telecoms network.