By Canadian Press

Huawei hopeful it can provide 5G to Canada despite, Trump, Five Eyes pressure

Jul 15, 2020 | 1:48 PM

OTTAWA — Huawei Canada says it is collateral damage in the Trump administration’s trade war with China and remains hopeful that it might still be able to sell next-generation internet equipment to Canada.

That characterization comes one day after Britain became the last of Canada’s Five Eyes intelligence-sharing allies to ban the Chinese telecommunications firm from its 5G wireless internet.

Alykhan Velshi, Huawei Canada’s vice president of corporate affairs, says the company hopes the Trudeau government’s ongoing 5G review steers clear of political machinations by the Trump administration to undermine the company.

Britain’s decision brought it firmly in line with U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign to have Huawei banned from allied countries, including Canada.

The United States views Huawei as a security threat and says its equipment and technology would serve as a back door for China’s communist leaders and military to spy on other countries as they adopt 5G technology — a charge the company firmly denies.

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The Trudeau government has delayed a long-awaited decision on whether to allow Huawei to participate in Canada’s new 5G network largely because of China’s ongoing imprisonment of two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2020.

The Canadian Press