A flagship store of Huawei Photo: VCG

Huawei has never harmed the security of any European country. Should the EU decide to ban Huawei, it would breach the principles of market economy, free trade and fair competition, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a regular briefing on Wednesday.

These comments came in response to a Financial Times report suggesting that the EU is considering a mandatory ban on companies, including Huawei, deemed to pose security risks in their 5G networks.

Wang said that the US and some European countries have repeatedly alleged security risks associated with Huawei but have failed to provide any evidence, characterizing it as presumption of guilt and disinformation.

Wang said that since Huawei started operation in Europe many years ago, it has never harmed the security of any European country. On the contrary, it has given a strong boost to Europe's telecommunications sector and generated considerable socio-economic benefits.

Should the EU decide to ban Huawei in spite of all these facts, it would contradict the principles of market economy, free trade, and fair competition that the EU claims to uphold, Wang added.

Huawei, having been active in Europe for 23 years, has demonstrated its commitment to the continent, according to Lu Yong, a senior executive of Huawei, speaking at the 2023 Huawei Innovative Data Infrastructure Forum in May. In 2021, the company contributed 12.3 billion euros ($13.19 billion) to Europe's economy and supported over 140,000 jobs in the region, as per survey results. Huawei has also received the accolade of "European Outstanding Employer" for three consecutive years.

Currently, Huawei has established partnerships with over 5,000 European companies to provide advanced products for various industries, such as education, retail, and logistics. These collaborations enable digital transformation within the industry, Lu said.

Wang further characterized the US's efforts to suppress Huawei as an example of coercive diplomacy and tech bullying.

"We hope the EU will honor its commitment to those principles, steer clear of politicizing economic and trade issues or overstretching the concept of security, and make economically sound decisions that are in keeping with its own interests," he said.

Global Times