HUAWEI SHORT-CIRCUITS US BAN

A CHINESE telecommunications giant, which is entrenched in Trinidad and Tobago, is building a secret network to short-circuit a ban in the United States.

Bloomberg News is reporting that Huawei Technologies Co is setting up a collection of semiconductors-fabrication facilities across China to skirt US sanctions.

In 2019, the US Commerce Department blocked the sale of communications equipment made by Huawei and restricted the use of some China-made surveillance video systems.

The American authorities cited an “unacceptable risk” to its national security.

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to debar the sale of the technology products.

This was the first time that the FCC prohibited equipment based on national security concerns.

Bloomberg reported that Huawei moved into chip production last year and is receiving US $30 billion in funding from the Chinese Government.

The company “might be able to circumvent US Government restrictions,” the news agency said.

Huawei, one of China’s major technology players and a pioneer in 5-G (Generation), is operating at two levels in T&T.

The company sells cellular phones and provides technology and communications technology to service providers.

Last year, Huawei signed a three-year agreement with The University of the West Indies for joint research and development.

The company has faced allegations over the years that its equipment is used for spying.

CNN reported a year ago that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) uncovered equipment placed near military bases were capturing and disrupting highly restricted communications.

Both the Chinese authorities and Huawei have denied any sinister operations.

CounterpunchTT had previously reported on the issue; see “Are Huawei Phone Spying On Us?”