Canada Provokes China as it bans Huawei in the Country amid pressures from United States.
The statement came after the federal government had hinted for months that it wanted to prevent China’s major telecommunications companies from accessing 5G networks in Canada. “We’ll take any steps necessary to protect our telecommunications infrastructure,” said François-Philippe Champagne, the innovation minister.
Telecoms providers who already have equipment from the companies must remove it, with no compensation from the federal government, according to Champagne.
Over the years, Canadian telecom operators have spent approximately C$700 million (US$546 million) on Huawei equipment, mostly for 4G or LTE.
“We are dissatisfied, but not shocked.” Huawei spokesman Alykhan Velshi expressed astonishment that the government took so long to make a decision. “We perceive this as a political choice, one influenced principally by US political pressure.”
The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, all members of the Five Eyes network, have already blacklisted Huawei technology.
Marco Mendicino, the minister of public safety, described the action as a “necessary step” in the face of mounting doubts about Beijing’s reliability.
For years, Canada has been under increasing pressure from friends, most notably the United States, to prohibit Huawei from selling 5G equipment because to concerns about national security.
In 2018, Canada stated that it would investigate any potential risks associated with the technology’s use.
However, Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was detained in Canada on a US warrant, delaying any decision. China arrested two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, in retaliation, and ultimately charged the men with espionage.
After a British Columbia court ordered Meng’s release, the long-running issue came to a conclusion. Hours later, China released the two Canadians.
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