Amid the federal government’s growing cybersecurity concerns about Chinese technology, Sen. Tom Cotton introduced legislation preventing intelligence sharing with countries that permit Huawei to operate 5G networks.
The U.S. government has blocked Huawei from developing such networks domestically, and Mr. Cotton’s bill could halt intelligence-sharing with key U.S. allies that do not follow suit. Telecom providers in Germany are using Huawei to help build its 5G network, and companies in the United Kingdom and Canada are reportedly considering similarly utilizing Huawei’s services.
“The United States shouldn’t be sharing valuable intelligence information with countries that allow an intelligence-gathering arm of the Chinese Communist Party to operate freely within their borders,” Mr. Cotton, Arkansas Republican, said in a statement. “I urge our allies around the world to carefully consider the consequences of dealing with Huawei to their national interests.”
Huawei has denied assertions that it is involved in Chinese espionage. The U.S., however, has adopted a cautious posture toward Chinese technology that could be weaponized for surveillance purposes by the Chinese government.
The departments of State and Homeland Security told The Washington Times last week that they were prohibiting the use of Chinese-owned social media application TikTok on government-issued devices. The acknowledgment from State and DHS came after the Pentagon pursued a similar approach.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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