US government asks allies to drop Huawei equipment, WSJ says

[SAN FRANCISCO] The US government is trying to persuade wireless and Internet providers in foreign ally countries to avoid telecommunications equipment from China's Huawei Technologies, Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.

American officials have briefed government counterparts and telecom executives in friendly countries where Huawei is already in use, including Germany, Italy and Japan, about what they see as cybersecurity risks, the WSJ said. The US is also said to be considering adding financial aid for telecommunications development in countries that will shun Huawei.

The US is said to be particularly concerned about the use of Chinese telecom equipment in countries that host US military bases, like Germany, Italy and Japan. Some US officials also fear the rise of such technological giants that could benefit authoritarian governments.

The US's current outreach initiative coincides with rising tensions between the US and China, although officials familiar with the matter told the WSJ that concerns about telecom-network vulnerabilities predate the Trump administration.

Huawei declined to comment to the Wall Street Journal on the US's government efforts.

BLOOMBERG