Newsfeed/Reuters
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian Vice-President Hamilton Mourão told journalists on Friday, June 7th, that the government would not exclude Chinese telecom company Huawei from operating a fifth-generation (5G) mobile telecoms network in Latin America’s largest economy.
The United States has asked countries to reject Huawei technology in the development of new mobile phone networks, arguing that it could be vulnerable to Chinese eavesdropping. Huawei denies its equipment is a security risk.
U.S.- President Donald Trump raised the issue with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during a White House visit in March.
But Mourão, who met with Huawei Chief Executive Ren Zhengfei on a trip to China last month, said Brazil has no plans to bar Huawei when it launches its 5G network next year.
Huawei has already been locked out of the US market. Australia and New Zealand also blocked it from building 5G networks. Japan’s government said last year it would ban government purchases of equipment from the Chinese company. However, Europe does not rule out using Huawei Tech.
Mourão told Valor Econômico newspaper that there was no distrust of the Chinese company within the Brazilian government and Brazil needs the telecom technology it has to offer.
(Source: Reuters)