Multiple State Department officials warned of the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the emerging 5G network race, noting that the United States is working on a “broader strategy to provide trusted alternatives” to Chinese telecommunication companies.
“Security is most certainly compromised,” one State Department official said, referring to technologies from Chinese-owned companies.
The same official said the United States is holding discussions warning of the dangers of using the technology, “particularly in countries which have just begun to understand the very serious nature of cyber threats.”
When doing business with reliable vendors, both government and private sector entities need to have a degree of certainty about the safety of their information, the official said.
It’s also essential for the United States to find the right ways “to encourage and promote American innovation in 5G, while also safeguarding against those who will use it as a force against us,” the official noted, adding that the administration has deployed a comprehensive approach.
The United States is working on a specific region on this front. In 2019, the government launched a digital connectivity and cybersecurity partnership to support cyberinfrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific region, the official said.
“We’ve made it clear that [China’s] ‘One Belt, One Road’ is not the only alternative for countries there,” the official said, adding that the administration has provided “over $50 million of U.S. government money towards this effort.”
The national security implications of the 5G race with China are significant, another State Department official said, adding that whoever leads the world in this technology will have a distinct economic and national security advantage over other countries.
The official accused China of using “predatory economic practices” that have enabled Beijing to capture 40 percent of the market share in the United States in these technology sectors. In 2017, the U.S. government for the first time began “to confront head-on the risks posed by China’s distorted economic practices,” according to the official.
A third official emphasized the need for engaging with the private sector, noting that this engagement is essential for the United States to continue its innovation lead. The virtual discussion was hosted by the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council, from the Department of State.
Days ago, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was asked if the United States should ban Chinese-owned app TikTok over concerns the CCP could access U.S. citizens’ data.
“We’ve gone all over the world, and we’re making real progress getting that out,” he said. “We declared ZTE a danger to American national security. We’ve done all of these things.”
