For years now, the United States government has been keeping a wary watch on the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei. It’d be almost comical how suspicious they’ve been if it weren’t an entirely serious matter. The concern is that allowing a Chinese company with a nebulous relation to the Chinese government to build a communications network on U.S. soil would prove to be a national security risk in the long run. After a yearlong investigation, the House Intelligence Committee has decided that any dealings with Huawei pose a risk to national security.
This all comes from a report due out today. The committee suggests that regulators should seek to stop any acquisitions or mergers by both Huawei and ZTE Corp — another Chinese telecommunications supplier. They even urge American businesses to avoid doing business with either company.
The committee will be passing what violations they believe Huawei to have committed to the proper authorities. The allegations here range from bribery to the use of pirated software in their facilities. That’s not why they’re declaring the company a threat to national security, though.
According to Huffington Post, the report notes that “China has the means, opportunity, and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes.” In other words, we’re suspicious of a company because it was founded in a country of which we’re suspicious and they haven’t suitably satisfied our inquiries. Unfortunately for the United States, globalization is here to stay.
Just to be safe, feel free to eat as much Chinese food as you can before it’s outlawed due to promoting the culture of a nation considered to be a security risk. How do we know that Great Sichuan isn’t spreading Chinese propaganda?
(via Huffington Post)
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