China reiterates opposition to ban on Huawei

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - China on Monday reiterated its opposition to ban Huawei after the UK announced it will push the Chinese tech giant out of its 5G network by 2027.

Addressing a news conference in the capital Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “We are opposed to any violations of market rules and principles of fair competition to exclude specific companies or using national security to suppress foreign companies and block cooperation,” according to Global Times.

On Sunday, the British government asked Japan to help build its 5G wireless networks without taking any help from Huawei Technologies.

Last week, the US government also imposed visa restrictions on certain employees of Huawei over human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party in the Muslim-majority Xinjiang autonomous region in northwest China.

China reciprocated by slapping sanctions on officials at US’ China Commission; Sam Brownback, ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith, saying that they “have behaved badly over Xinjiang.”

China also extended support to EU’s opposition to US sanctions.

Wenbin said: “China opposes US unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction.”

“I am deeply concerned at the growing use of sanctions, or the threat of sanctions, by the United States against European companies and interests,” EU foreign policy Chief Josep Borrell said in a statement last week.