This directly addresses accusations by Trump
Contrary to what US President Donald Trump says, Huawei is not required to spy for the sate if they’re asked by the Chinese government, according to the company’s cybersecurity chief.
“There are no laws in China that obligate us to work with the Chinese government with anything whatsoever,” John Suffolk, Global cybersecurity and privacy officer for Huawei said when he spoke to British Parliament earlier in the week.
“Our legal advice is that is not the case,” he added.
Suffolk is referring to a series of Chinese laws that covers private companies and intelligence matters that are often cited as the main cause of concern for countries that are considering using Huawei’s equipment to help their 5G networks.
The legislation, according to Committee member Julian Lewis, says that Beijing has the power to “request the relevant organs, organizations, and civilians to provide the necessary support, assistance and cooperation” to various Chinese security agencies.
The unclear wording of the law forced Huawei to consult its Chinese attorneys, who later said that the company is under no obligation to spy for the state.
“Many countries produce laws that are unclear and we have had to go through a period of clarification with the Chinese government that has come out and made it quite clear that (spying) is not the requirement on any company,” Suffolk said.
“We have had that validated again by our lawyers and revalidated again by Clifford Chance. I believe there is no such obligation.”
