Huawei ban a 'thorny issue' hurting China-Australia relations
China's ambassador to Australia has labelled the
government's ban on Huawei's involvement in the rollout of next-generation 5G
networks discriminatory and politically motivated, warning it remains a
"thorny issue" in relations between Beijing and Canberra.
Ambassador Cheng Jingye's fresh criticism of Australia's 5G
policy comes amid a diplomatic dispute between intelligence partners Britain
and Australia stemming from the former's decision to allow the Chinese
technology giant into its networks.
On Monday, Mr Cheng said Australia's ban was
"politically motivated" amid a global campaign against Huawei, led by
the United States.
"It is discrimination against a Chinese company. At the
same time, it doesn't serve the best interests of Australian companies and
consumers," he told Sky News. "And it has become a sore point, or
thorny issue, in bilateral issues as it damages mutual trust between the two
sides."
Hitting out at the "smear campaign" against Huawei
and pressure on US allies, Mr Cheng praised Britain's approach.
"Despite external pressure, I think the UK has come up
with a decision which will not exclude Huawei from participating at least in
some parts of the 5G technology development, which I think is a sensible
decision," he said.
In August 2018, Australia became the first country to bar
the Chinese telecommunications giant from providing 5G technology. The
prohibition on equipment vendors "likely to be subject to extrajudicial
directions from a foreign government" preceded a similar move by the US.
Danielle Cave, deputy director of the international cyber
policy centre at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, denied Australia's
decision was politically motivated.
"It was a risk-based decision that weighed up advice
from a range of government departments and agencies, including in-depth
technical advice from [electronic intelligence agency] the Australian Signals
Directorate," she said.
She predicted there would not be a policy change to allow
"high-risk vendors" into Australia's 5G networks, even if Beijing
maintained pressure on the government.
The question of how to handle the security risks has
triggered a row between close allies after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
authorised Huawei to have a limited role in his country's rollout.
Earlier this month, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
revealed that Labor MP Anthony Byrne, deputy chair of the Australian
Parliament's intelligence and security committee, rebuked British Foreign
Secretary Dominic Raab over the issue in a private meeting in Canberra.
"How would you feel if the Russians laid down infrastructure
in your own networks? That's how we feel about Huawei," Mr Byrne told Mr
Raab, according to sources in the room. Mr Byrne said British intelligence
agencies were "flat-out wrong" to say Huawei could supply 5G
equipment and not pose a threat to national security.
The ABC subsequently revealed Britain's high commissioner to
Australia, Vicki Treadall, wrote to two parliamentary committee chairs to
demand an explanation over the leak about the meeting. A planned trip to
Britain by the intelligence and security committee has been cancelled.
China has continually complained about Australia's 5G ban
since it came into effect. China's representatives at the World Trade
Organisation have repeatedly branded it discriminatory and recently claimed the
restrictions were now going beyond 5G and affecting involvement with existing
networks.
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