The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Portugal resists U.S. appeal to bar Huawei from 5G network
LISBON, PORTUGAL — Portugal won’t exclude Chinese companies from supplying technology for the country’s next-generation 5G wireless network, senior Portuguese officials told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday.
Portugal is the latest European Union country to resist U.S. efforts to persuade allies they should shun Huawei’s bids to provide the hardware that operators will use for the new ultrafast 5G networks.
The Chinese government “won’t hesitate” to use Huawei as a back door to sensitive data, Pompeo warned at a news conference with Portuguese Foreign Minister
Augusto Santos Silva.
Santos Silva said bids from 5G operators will be assessed in the light of strict Portuguese and EU regulations. Market-leading wireless carrier Altice Portugal partnered last year with Huawei to develop 5G technology as it prepares to launch service in 2020.
Other EU countries, including key markets Germany and the United Kingdom, have also resisted Washington’s entreaties to block Huawei.
Still, there are signs that Europe is starting to take the U.S. concerns more seriously.
The Dutch government said Thursday in its plans to auction 5G frequencies that wireless companies could ban equipment suppliers with connections to foreign governments or intelligence agencies involved in spying.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted at a tougher stance Wednesday, saying he didn’t want to compromise security and intelligence cooperation in any decision on 5G suppliers.