SECURITY CONCERNS

Australia plans to ban Huawei from supplying equipment for its planned 5G broadband network after its intelligence agencies raised concerns that Beijing could force the Chinese telco to hand over sensitive data. Western intelligence agencies have for years raised concerns about Huawei’s ties to the Chinese government and the possibility that its equipment could be used for espionage. Huawei, the world’s largest maker of telecommunications network gear and the No. 3 smartphone supplier, has promised that Canberra will have complete oversight of 5G network equipment. The model has been accepted by other countries — notably the UK, where a special laboratory staffed with intelligence officials reviews all Huawei products.