Australia bans China’s Huawei from mobile network build over security fears – Reuters
What happened: Huawei, the world’s largest manufacturer of telecommunications network gear, has been banned from supplying equipment for the new 5G networks in Australia due to security fears. In an official statement, the Australian government said it had undertaken an extensive review and concluded that working with the supplier would leave the country’s network vulnerable to risks of “foreign interference.”
Why it’s important: Like the US authorities who have shut out Huawei over national security concerns, the Australian government has been worried that Huawei and its ties with the Chinese government might expose Australia to espionage among other security risks. The ban has exacerbated the ongoing tension between the two trade partners in recent months which was sparked by Chinese deepening involvement in Australian politics.