The U.S. government has begun reaching out to key allies around the world in an effort to get them to stop using Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Trump administration officials have reportedly briefed government counterparts, as well as wireless and internet service providers, in countries including Germany, Italy and Japan, amid national security concerns over the Chinese tech giant.

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Some officials also told the Journal the U.S. is considering giving financial aid to countries that have declined to use Huawei.

The Hill has reached out to both the White House and Huawei for comment.

The report comes after U.S. intelligence officials earlier this year warned Americans not to buy phones manufactured by Huawei and ZTE, another major Chinese tech firm. There has long been concern among American lawmakers over the companies' suspected ties to the Chinese government.

According to the Journal report, one major concern among Trump officials is the use of Huawei technology in countries that have a prominent American military presence.

The global push, which reportedly predates the Trump administration, also comes as the world prepares for a new era of wireless technology known as 5G. With people becoming more and more internet-dependent, U.S. officials are increasingly sounding the alarm over the potential for Chinese spying.

Huawei is the world's No. 2 smartphone manufacturer, after South Korea's Samsung.

Tensions between Beijing and Washington have spiked over the past year amid an escalating trade war and growing concerns over Chinese militancy in the South China Sea.</s>The United States is urging its allies to stop using Huawei telecommunications equipment because the Chinese company poses a security threat, according to a published report.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the discussions, reports that US officials are pushing countries that host American military bases to ban the use of Huawei equipment from their wireless and internet networks.

The US military uses secure networks for its most sensitive communications, but it is concerned that much of its traffic still moves over commercial networks in countries such as Germany, Italy and Japan, the Journal reported. US officials are meeting with government representatives and telecom executives in the other countries to urge them to exclude Huawei equipment from government and commercial networks.

Huawei equipment increases the risk of cyberattacks and could allow China to spy on communications or disable connections in the fast growing “internet of things,” the US officials argue.

“We engage with countries around the world about our concerns regarding cyberthreats in telecommunications infrastructure,” an unnamed US official told the Journal. “As they’re looking to move to 5G, we remind them of those concerns. There are additional complexities to 5G networks that make them more vulnerable to cyberattacks.”

Huawei told CNN Business Friday that its equipment is trusted by customers in 170 countries and by 46 of the world’s 50 largest telecommunications companies.

“Huawei is surprised by the behaviors of the US government detailed in the article,” it said. “If a government’s behavior extends beyond its jurisdiction, such activity should not be encouraged. Huawei firmly believes that our partners and customers will make the right choice based on their own judgment and experience of working with Huawei.”

US intelligence officials have expressed concern about the safety of products made by Huawei and another Chinese tech firm, ZTE. The Pentagon in May ordered stores on American military bases to stop selling smartphones made by the companies. And in February, top officials from the CIA, NSA, FBI and the Defense Intelligence Agency told a Senate committee that those firms’ smartphones posed a security threat to American customers.

Some other allies have already taken steps to limit Huawei. The company announced in August that the Australian government has blocked it from providing 5G technology for the country’s wireless networks.

The report comes at a time of growing trade tensions between the United States and China. Each country has imposed tariffs on the other’s products and threatened more. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet at the G20 summit in Argentina next week.

The White House and the Department of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment on the report.</s>People walk past a sign board of Huawei at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Asia 2018 in Shanghai, China on June 14, 2018. (Aly Song/Reuters)

The U.S. government is trying to persuade wireless and internet providers in allied countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Nov. 22.

The move would further pile pressure on the world’s biggest telecom gear maker, which is under scrutiny from Western intelligence agencies for its perceived ties to China’s government and the possibility its equipment could be used for espionage.

U.S. officials have reached out to their government counterparts and telecom executives in friendly countries where Huawei equipment is already in wide use about what they see as cybersecurity risks, according to the WSJ report, which cited unnamed people familiar with the situation.

The United States has already largely barred Huawei from supplying its government and contractors, while Australia has banned the company from supplying equipment for a 5G mobile network.

Huawei is one of several Chinese tech companies that have come under U.S. government scrutiny as a trade war between the two countries escalates.

On Friday, the Hong Kong shares of rival ZTE Corp fell as much as 5.6 percent, dragging down the sector. They recouped some losses to trade down 2 percent around midday, while the firm’s Shenzhen shares were down 3 percent.

ZTE’s value has nearly halved this year, battered by a three-month U.S. government ban on American firms selling parts to the firm, and a subsequent $1.4 billion settlement.

On Friday, an index tracking major telecoms firms on the mainland dropped more than 3 percent.

Washington has been considering increasing financial aid for telecommunications development in countries that shun Chinese-made equipment, the WSJ reported on Thursday.

One of the government’s concerns is based on the use of Chinese telecom equipment in countries that host U.S. military bases, such as Germany, Italy and Japan, the report added.

A U.S. Department of Commerce spokesman said in a statement that the department would remain vigilant against any threat to U.S. national security.

Huawei did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Earlier this week, Huawei said it had signed 22 commercial contracts for 5G networks.

It will also open a new information security lab in Germany that will enable source code reviews, in a step aimed at winning regulators’ confidence before the country’s 5G mobile spectrum auction, a German regulator told Reuters last month.</s>The US government is trying to persuade wireless and internet providers in allied countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

US officials have reached out to their government counterparts and telecom executives in friendly countries where Huawei equipment is already in wide use about what they see as cyber-security risks, according to the WSJ report, which cited unnamed people familiar with the situation.

Huawei has come under scrutiny in the United States recently.

Intelligence agency leaders and others have said they are concerned that Huawei and other Chinese companies may be beholden to the Chinese government or ruling Communist Party, raising the risk of espionage.

Washington has been considering increasing financial aid for telecommunications development in countries that shun Chinese-made equipment, the WSJ reported.

One of the government's concerns is based on the use of Chinese telecom equipment in countries that host US military bases, such as Germany, Italy and Japan, the report added.

A US Department of Commerce spokesman said in a statement that the department would remain vigilant against any threat to US national security. Huawei did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.</s>The U.S. government is urging allied nations to avoid using telecommunications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies Company, even though some of those countries have already made large purchases of Huawei equipment, according to a report published Friday.

The U.S. has expressed concerns that Chinese military and intelligence units have compromised Huawei products, posing security risks.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that U.S. officials are concerned about host countries using Huawei equipment in close proximity to American military bases and about Chinese tech compromising the security of next-generation 5G wireless networks. The U.S. military has some dedicated equipment for its most sensitive communications, but a great deal of the communications traffic from American installations in foreign countries passes through local telecom networks.

American officials are offering detailed briefings on the security risks posed by Chinese equipment:

The briefings are aimed at dissuading governments and telecom executives from using Huawei network components in both government and commercially operated networks. A core focus of the briefings is Beijing’s ability to force Chinese corporations to comply with government requests from government authorities, a U.S. official said. The talking points also emphasize how wireless and internet networks in a few years could be more susceptible to cyberattacks or espionage, people familiar with the briefings said. Today’s cellular-tower equipment, for instance, is largely isolated from the “core” systems that transfer much of a network’s voice and data traffic. But in the 5G networks telecom carriers are preparing to install, cellular-tower hardware will take over some tasks from the core—and that hardware could potentially be used to disrupt the core via cyberattacks. For that reason, U.S. officials worry that Huawei or ZTE cellular-tower equipment could compromise swaths of a telecom network. Huawei is the world’s No. 2 smartphone maker behind Samsung Electronics Co. It is the global leader for telecom equipment, such as the hardware that goes into cellular towers, internet networks and other infrastructure that enables modern communication. The company has been all but shut out of that market in the U.S. after a 2012 congressional report labeled it a national-security threat. American officials say the company could be compelled by Beijing to use its knowledge of its components to snoop on or disrupt telecommunications networks.

The Journal noted American officials are not alone in these concerns. Australia has already banned Huawei and another Chinese company, ZTE, from participating in its 5G network, while the U.K. is conducting a telecom security review that does not specifically name any companies but may be motivated by concerns about Huawei, whose products are popular in Britain. The WSJ article also mentions a “new wariness” toward Huawei in Germany and the possibility of restrictions on its products in Japan.

Unfortunately for concerned U.S. policymakers, Chinese technology is already well established in many allied countries. Italian telecom executives reportedly told U.S. officials they simply cannot stop using Huawei and ZTE products because the Chinese equipment is inexpensive and flexible. A British telecom executive described Huawei as the “only true 5G supplier right now” to the Journal.

Reuters reported on Friday that Huawei has signed 22 commercial contracts for 5G networks so far and is opening an information security lab in Germany to help defuse security concerns before auctions for 5G network spectrum next year.

A group of senior German officials is mounting a last-ditch effort to ban Chinese companies from the 5G project. The German foreign and interior ministries are said to be especially concerned about Chinese participation after speaking with their counterparts in the United States and Australia.

“There is serious concern. If it were up to me we would do what the Australians are doing,” one German official said, referring to Australia’s ban on Huawei and ZTE. Even the German left, which is generally opposed to freezing entire countries out of German markets, has expressed apprehension about Huawei and pointed to Chinese cybersecurity laws that literally require all Chinese companies to “collaborate in national intelligence work.”

Huawei has consistently denied allegations that it works with Chinese intelligence and issued such a response to the Journal piece on Friday:

No Chinese corporation has a good answer to the simple truth that Chinese law absolutely requires them to work with Beijing’s military and intelligence operations upon demand. Even if it were true that Huawei is not currently injecting backdoors and other security flaws into its products for the benefit of Chinese intelligence, the government could compel it to do so tomorrow and arrest its executives instantly if they hesitated to comply.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that stocks in Chinese tech companies are dropping as a result of the U.S. campaign against them, and indeed because of the Journal’s own reporting on that campaign. Conversely, the shares of European competitors to Huawei and ZTE such as Ericsson and Nokia are rising as the looming possibility of bans or caps on Chinese products creates market opportunities for them. The Chinese government has denounced U.S. warnings about the security of Huawei and ZTE products as protectionist schemes to suppress Chinese competition and create market share for American and European companies.</s>(Reuters) - The U.S. government is trying to persuade wireless and internet providers in allied countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies [HWT.UL], the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

U.S. officials have reached out to their government counterparts and telecom executives in friendly countries where Huawei equipment is already in wide use about what they see as cybersecurity risks, according to the WSJ report on.wsj.com/2KpHKgr, which cited unnamed people familiar with the situation.

Huawei has come under scrutiny in the United States recently.

Intelligence agency leaders and others have said they are concerned that Huawei and other Chinese companies may be beholden to the Chinese government or ruling Communist Party, raising the risk of espionage.

Washington has been considering increasing financial aid for telecommunications development in countries that shun Chinese-made equipment, the WSJ reported.

One of the government’s concerns is based on the use of Chinese telecom equipment in countries that host U.S. military bases, such as Germany, Italy and Japan, the report added.

Huawei did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.</s>The US is reportedly urging governments and telecoms providers in allied countries to follow its lead and prevent the use of Huawei’s networking equipment in their mobile and fixed infrastructure.

A report in The Wall Street Journal claims US government officials have made contact with foreign counterparts and telecoms executives in several countries to discuss the security concerns it has about the Chinese company.

The site also suggests that Washington is considering an increase in financial aid for telecoms development in countries that avoid Huawei’s products. Countries in which the US has a military base, such as Germany, Italy and Japan, are of particular interest.
• Everything you need to know about 5G

Huawei has effectively been frozen out of the US market, although it does provide equipment to a number of smaller players in the country, while Australia has banned its operators from using Huawei equipment in their 5G rollouts on national security grounds.

The main basis for these fears is a perception that Huawei is linked to the Chinese government and that the use of the company’s equipment risks the possibility of backdoors that could be used for espionage.

Huawei has repeatedly denied such accusations, pointing out that it works with security agencies around the world and that it sells products to more than 500 operators in 170 countries without issue. This includes the UK, where BT, EE, Vodafone and Three are all customers.

“Huawei is surprised by the behaviours of the US government detailed in the article,” a Huawei spokesperson told TechRadar Pro. “If a government's behaviour extends beyond its jurisdiction, such activity should not be encouraged. Huawei firmly believes that our partners and customers will make the right choice based on their own judgment and experience of working with Huawei. We will continue to serve our global customers with our innovative solutions.”

There is little demand among operators for any barriers to the use of Huawei kit as this would reduce choice, hinder innovation and increase costs. Only this week, Huawei revealed it had shipped more than 10,000 5G base stations outside China and had signed 22 commercial 5G contracts with foreign operators.
• Here are the best mobile phone deals for November 2018</s>The U.S. government is trying to persuade wireless and internet providers in allied countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

REUTERS: The U.S. government is trying to persuade wireless and internet providers in allied countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

U.S. officials have reached out to their government counterparts and telecom executives in friendly countries where Huawei equipment is already in wide use about what they see as cybersecurity risks, according to the WSJ report https://on.wsj.com/2KpHKgr, which cited unnamed people familiar with the situation.

Huawei has come under scrutiny in the United States recently.

Intelligence agency leaders and others have said they are concerned that Huawei and other Chinese companies may be beholden to the Chinese government or ruling Communist Party, raising the risk of espionage.

Washington has been considering increasing financial aid for telecommunications development in countries that shun Chinese-made equipment, the WSJ reported.

One of the government's concerns is based on the use of Chinese telecom equipment in countries that host U.S. military bases, such as Germany, Italy and Japan, the report added.

A U.S. Department of Commerce spokesman said in a statement that the department would remain vigilant against any threat to U.S. national security. Huawei did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.</s>The US government is trying to persuade wireless and Internet providers in allied countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The move would further pile pressure on the world’s biggest telecom gear maker, which is under scrutiny from western intelligence agencies for its perceived ties to China’s government and the possibility its equipment could be used for espionage.US officials have reached out to their government counterparts and telecom executives in friendly countries where Huawei equipment is already in wide use about what they see as cybersecurity risks, according to the WSJ report, which cited unnamed people familiar with the situation.The US has already largely barred Huawei from supplying its government and contractors while Australia has banned the company from supplying equipment for a 5G mobile network.Huawei, which has repeatedly denied engaging in intelligence work for any government, is one of several Chinese tech companies that have come under US government scrutiny as a trade war between the two countries escalates.On Friday, the Hong Kong shares of rival ZTE Corp fell as much as 5.6%, dragging down the sector. They recouped some losses to trade down 2% around midday while the firm’s Shenzhen shares were down 3%.Washington has been considering increasing financial aid for telecommunications development in countries that shun Chinesemade equipment, the WSJ reported on Thursday.One of the government’s concerns is based on the use of Chinese telecom equipment in countries that host US militarybases, such as Germany, Italy and Japan, the report added.A US department of commerce spokesman said in a statementthat the department would remain vigilant against any threat to US national security.</s>What just happened? It’s no secret that the US government doesn’t trust Huawei. Devices from both it and fellow Chinese firm ZTE are banned from American agencies and contractors, but a new report claims the Trump administration doesn’t want to stop there–it’s trying to persuade telecom companies in allied countries to avoid using the firm’s equipment.

According to the Wall Street Journal, US officials have reached out to their counterparts in countries where Huawei’s telecom equipment is in widespread use to warn them about what the US has long seen as a cybersecurity risk. These include Germany, Italy, and Japan, which are home to American military bases.

The US government has been issuing warnings about the perceived security threats posed by Huawei since 2012. Back in February, bosses from six US intelligence agencies said using a telecoms device from the company could put you at risk of having personal data accessed or stolen—a result of its alleged close ties with the Chinese government.

In August, President Trump signed the Defense Authorization Act, which bans US government agencies and contractors from using certain tech from Huawei and other Chinese companies.

Citing anonymous people familiar with the matter, the WSJ said the US might offer countries an incentive to shun Huawei by boosting their financial aid for telecoms development.

Huawei, which was founded by former People's Liberation Army engineer Ren Zhengfei, recently moved past Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone seller—it’s already the world’s largest producer of telecoms equipment. Despite these distinctions, US officials have constantly warned Americans not to use its products, Australia has banned the company from supplying parts for a 5G mobile network, and it has faced criticism in the UK over potential threats to national security.
The United States urges their allies not to use Huawei network equipment, reportedly out of national security concerns.