China tells WTO that Australia’s ban on 5G technology is ‘obviously discriminative’
- Restriction has a ‘great impact on international trade’ and will not resolve concerns about cybersecurity, diplomat says
- Canberra has not had time to formulate a response to the allegations, Australian representative says
Australia’s restriction on Chinese 5G telecoms technology was “obviously discriminative” and appeared to break global trade rules, Beijing told Canberra at the World Trade Organisation on Friday, according to a transcript seen by Reuters.
China’s representative at the WTO’s Council on Trade in Goods said measures to restrict 5G technology had a “great impact on international trade” and would not resolve concerns about cybersecurity, but only make countries technologically isolated.
The Chinese diplomat said Australia had not published any official documents about the ban, which appeared to have come into force before the relevant law took effect on September 18.
Cybersecurity and 5G security required international cooperation, the diplomat said.
“Country specific and discriminatory restriction measures cannot address the concerns on cybersecurity, nor make anyone safe, but only disrupt the global industrial chain and make the country itself isolated from the application of better technology,” the person said.