Czechs and US to cooperate on 5G network security

The Czech Republic and the United States have signed a joint declaration Wednesday for cooperating on security of 5G technology.

The document, signed by Czech prime minister Andrej Babis and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, says that “protecting communications networks from disruption or manipulation, and ensuring the privacy and individual liberties of the citizens of the United States and the Czech Republic, are vital to ensuring that our people are able to take advantage of the tremendous economic opportunities 5G will enable”.

The US government has been pressuring its allies to ban the Chinese company Huawei into their 5G telecoms networks because of its ties to the Chinese government. Last year in May, the US added Huawei to its trade blacklist, amid concerns that its 5G equipment enables the Chinese government to spy on other nations.

Huawei has rejected the allegations, saying it operates independently of the ruling party of China. However two US senators pointed out that, private Chinese companies are required to adhere to Chinese law: “Cybersecurity laws compel Chinese companies to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party”, they warned.

The Czech Republic’s cybersecurity watchdog previously warned against the use of products by Huawei and another Chinese telecommunications company, ZTE. The United Kingdom has already banned ZTE, and included it in the category of high risk vendors together with Huawei.