BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that there is no question of his administration allowing Huawei Technologies Co. entry to the United States because it is detrimental to the country's security.
Responding to a reporter's question at the South Lawn of the White House Thursday, the President said, 'We've not changed on Huawei. We're not allowing Huawei into our country. We're not changed on that'.
He said U.S. companies are ready to do business for 'non-security things' with the Chinese telecom giant.
The U.S. Commerce Department had blacklisted Huawei and its affiliates in May, saying that they posed threat to U.S. computer networks. This prevents them from buying components and technology from U.S. firms without license from the U.S. government. The decision would also make it difficult for Huawei to sell products for which it relied on parts from U.S. suppliers.
Meanwhile, two Senators urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to alert U.S. citizens traveling to countries that use Chinese surveillance and monitoring systems about the threat they face through the use of Chinese technologies like 'smart city' and 'safe city' systems.
In a letter sent to Pompeo, Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) urged him to update the State Department's travel advisories to 'make Americans aware that these technologies could expose their personal data to foreign governments, including potentially China.'
'Chinese companies like Huawei and China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation are selling, loaning, or transferring to foreign governments cameras, facial recognition along with artificial intelligence and cloud systems, that can be used to track and monitor individuals,' the letter says.
According to The New York Times, more than 18 countries now use Chinese intelligent monitoring systems. These include Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, which do not have strong privacy and human rights protections.
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