The top official overseeing 5G technology policies for the European Union said on Wednesday he is concerned that Chinese companies are legally bound to share information with the government’s intelligence apparatus back home – a stark example of the high-level resistance confronting Chinese officials as they fight Western attempts to block Chinese tech giants.
Andrus Ansip – one of the European Commission’s five vice-presidents, under President Jean-Claude Juncker – made the remarks in an interview with the South China Morning Post, just a day after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang disputed diplomatic concerns about industrial espionage. Ansip highlighted the urgency for the EU to complete its assessment of potential security threats, as several member nations plan to issue licences for 5G networks soon.
