Huawei Says Collaboration Key to 5G Security

Chinese analysts said that efforts to politicize the security of 5G networks are prejudiced and unfairly targeting a particular country or company, according to Global Times.

Last week’s Prague 5G Security Conference led by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš culminated in the nonbinding “Prague Proposal,” which set forth recommendations from more than 30 members of the EU and NATO on how to move safely forward with the security of 5G networks. Absent from the conference were any Chinese delegates or representatives from Huawei.

The Chairman Statement recognized that continued global stability demands 5G network security and believes the architecture and functions of these networks must have an appropriate level of security to ensure national and economic security as well as other national interests.

“Cyber security cannot be regarded as a purely technical issue. A safe, secure and resilient infrastructure requires adequate national strategies, sound policies, a comprehensive legal framework and dedicated personnel, who is trained and educated appropriately. Strong cyber security supports the protection of civil liberties and privacy,” the statement said.

Chinese analysts have openly supported cybersecurity standards of 5G networks and reportedly oppose efforts to politicize the issue. The director-general of the Beijing-based Information Consumption Alliance, Xiang Ligang, told the Global Times, "I think their intention is pretty clear: They want to make rules based on their own values and ideologies to target companies from countries with different political systems. I think it's pretty clear that they want to target China and Huawei."

The US has banned Huawei’s products, a move that its allies have resisted supporting. However, many countries, including the US, plan to use the Prague Proposal as a guide to move forward with implementing 5G networks. 

In a statement shared with Infosecurity, a spokesperson wrote, "Huawei shares government commitments to cyber security. We believe the collaborative approach shown at the conference will be critical to ensuring the security of global 5G networks. We are encouraged by the conference's emphasis on the importance of research and development, open markets, and competition.

"Nevertheless, we believe the cyber security issue is a technical one at its core, which needs to be addressed through technical means. We firmly believe that any future security principles should be based on verifiable facts and technical data rather than ideology or a vendor's country of origin."

According to a statement released by US press secretary Sarah Sanders, “The United States supports the resulting Prague Proposals on 5G security published by the Czech conference chairman as a set of recommendations for nations to consider as they design, construct and administer their 5G infrastructure. The United States Government plans to use the Prague Proposals as a guide to ensure our shared prosperity and security."