Pompeo: "A Trend Emerges to Exclude Huawei 5G Equipment"

Mention of Countries Excluding Huawei Equipment and Telecom Operators
Korean SKT, KT, and Samsung Also Referenced
Criticism of China's Loan Practices in Africa

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that a global anti-Huawei trend is emerging, citing South Korean telecommunications companies as examples.

In a statement titled "The Trend is Changing for Trusted 5G Equipment Suppliers," released on the 24th (local time), Secretary Pompeo said, "Citizens around the world are turning their backs on Huawei as they become aware of the risks of the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance state."

Secretary Pompeo mentioned, "Deals between telecommunications companies worldwide and Huawei are disappearing," citing the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Estonia, Romania, Denmark, and Latvia as examples. He also introduced that recently Greece agreed to use Ericsson's equipment instead of Huawei for its 5G network setup.

He further described telecommunications companies that do not use Huawei equipment among the world's largest carriers as "clean carriers," giving examples such as South Korea's SK Telecom and KT, France's Orange, India's Jio, Australia's Telstra, Japan's NTT, and the UK's O2.

Secretary Pompeo added, "A few weeks ago, Canada's three major telecommunications companies decided to partner with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung," explaining that this is because public opinion overwhelmingly opposes allowing Huawei to build Canada's 5G network.

Secretary Pompeo continued, "The more countries, companies, and citizens question whom to trust when handling the most sensitive data, the clearer the answer becomes," emphasizing, "It is that it is not the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance state."

On the same day, Secretary Pompeo also criticized China's support for Africa as empty promises in another statement.

Targeting the China-Africa summit held last week, Pompeo criticized, "Chinese President Xi Jinping said we must always put people and their lives at the center, but he did not show true transparency or responsible commitments regarding the Chinese Communist Party's role in releasing a deadly virus."

He pointed out that China's aid to Africa is provided as loans, stating, "Most U.S. foreign aid is provided in the form of grants rather than loans. China provides loans as aid, depriving the citizens of those countries of opportunities and undermining national sovereignty."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.