Top US tech official criticises countries that ‘open their arms’ to Chinese 5G, artificial intelligence
- Of 65 commercial deals that Huawei has signed, half are with European customers building 5G networks
US chief technology officer Michael Kratsios on Thursday criticised countries that “open their arms” to Chinese 5G networks and artificial intelligence technologies.
He singled out Huawei, saying Chinese firms cannot be trusted because of laws compelling them to cooperate with their country’s intelligence services.
Speaking at a tech conference in Lisbon, Kratsios said Europe must “take a stand” with America, which imposed export controls on Huawei in May and urged EU countries not to use its products.
“We may not see eye to eye on every aspect of technology policy, but we all agree on the principles that matter most,” said Kratsios, who helps shape US policies on technology and data.
Yet European companies do not seem deterred by Washington’s concerns: of 65 commercial deals that Huawei has signed, half are with European customers building 5G networks, the company said last month.
EU lawmakers avoided explicitly singling out China and Huawei as security risks in a recent report on the danger of increased cyberattacks by state-backed entities.