“We hope that the Portuguese side will make rational political decisions autonomously and adhere to the creation of an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment,” defends Beijing.
China said on Thursday it expected Portugal to adopt “rational” and “autonomous” policies, after a Portuguese government advisory body deliberated on the de facto exclusion of Chinese companies from developing fifth-generation (5G) networks.
“We hope that the Portuguese side will make rational political decisions autonomously and adhere to the creation of an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment,” said the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a note sent to the Lusa news agency, in Beijing.
Chinese diplomacy considered that “building walls and barriers” and “breaking ties” only “harms the most vulnerable.”
“Cooperation with mutual benefits is the only correct path,” he stressed.
Last month, the Security Assessment Commission, within the scope of the Higher Council for Cyberspace Security in Portugal, issued a decision on the “high risk” for the security of 5G networks and services due to the use of equipment from providers that , among other things, other criteria, whether they are from outside the European Union, NATO or the OECD and whose “legal system of the country in which they are domiciled allows the Government to exercise control, interference or pressure over their activities that operate in third parties countries”.
The deliberation does not mention names of companies or countries, but it follows years of pressure exerted by Washington on allied countries to exclude the Chinese technology group Huawei from telecommunications infrastructures.
The United States points to China’s National Intelligence Law, which stipulates that “all organizations and citizens must support, assist, and cooperate with the state on National Intelligence matters.”
The company categorically denied these accusations and recalled that Chinese law does not oblige Huawei to install hidden mechanisms in networks or equipment that allow unauthorized access to data and information.
Other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia or Sweden, have already prohibited Huawei from participating in the development of their 5G networks.
In the statement sent to Lusa, the Chinese government says it opposes the “politicization” of technological issues, the “abuse of state power” and the “violation of international trade rules” and the “principles of the economy of market”.
“China is against the formulation of discriminatory and exclusionary policies and regulations and opposes the removal and imposition of restrictions on foreign companies,” reads the same note.
“We hope that the Portuguese side will protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and take practical measures to attract foreign investment and expand cooperation opportunities,” he added.
Fifth generation networks, the Internet of the future, are at the base of several technological advances, including autonomous driving or smart factories.
Source: Observadora
