US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that NATO member states should not let Chinese tech company Huawei from operating into their mobile networks, warning that the company poses threats to security and privacy.
The Democratic lawmaker from California disclosed on Monday at NATO Allied Headquarters the breach of privacy that would result from allowing Huawei into Europe's 5G networks would equate to "having the Chinese state police right in your pocket."
Pelosi told members of the media in Brussels that while some people say that it is more affordable to avail of Huawei, "it's a People's Liberation Army using reversed engineering from Western technology."
She claimed that such technology was far too confidential to hand over to China's interests, even if they can provide such technology at a cheaper price, thanks to the fact that Huawei took advantage of Western information develops its own systems.
US President Donald Trump and his administration have also urged allies to prohibit Huawei - the biggest telecommunications equipment maker in the world - from engaging in their wireless technology, warning it could give the Chinese government access to sensitive information, a claim that Huawei vehemently denies it.
Despite the US government's warning, the United Kingdom has disclosed it will let Huawei to develop part of the region's 5G infrastructure, prompting a group of US Congress lawmakers to impose a resolution criticizing the British decision.
In a joint statement, US lawmakers said that Huawei hardware is "absolute poison" and allowing Huawei access to any part of a 5G system puts at risk the integrity of the entire network.
The lawmakers added that allowing the Chinese telecoms firm access will result in network information being "sent back to the Communist Party leaders in China."
The outspoken US Congress spokesperson warned NATO allies not to cave in to Chinese pressure to take Huawei. "You cannot sell the privacy of the people of your country down the river," she pointed out said.
Pelosi, who is part of a bipartisan delegation at the Munich Conference voicing worries about Huawei joined US State Secretary Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper in issuing their stern caution against the Chinese tech giant.
Pompeo said Huawei and other Chinese-supported companies are "Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence," and Esper warned about the illicit the strategy being used by the Chinese government.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi fired back during the conference, reportedly dismissing US criticisms of Beijing as lies that are not based on any solid evidence.
Wang said that the root cause of all the issues is that the US does not want to see China growing, and accept the success of the socialist country, "but that's not fair as China has the right to develop."
