Huawei and 5G: Experts clash on the risk to Canada’s national security
OTTAWA — Allowing Chinese firm Huawei Technologies to help build Canada’s 5G wireless networks could give Beijing backdoor access to revealing data about Canadians, security analysts warn.
But at least one intelligence expert is skeptical the Chinese government would risk the international reputation of a marquee corporate star by making the company hand over such information.
As the federal government weighs Huawei’s possible participation in the next-generation telecommunications system, the ultimate question is, how much weight will Canada place on fears of inappropriate data-harvesting — or full-blown espionage?
The question has been percolating since long before Canada arrested Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver, on an American request, and will still be there after Meng’s case has been resolved.