Briefing: ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence alliance members agreed to contain Huawei

At Gathering of Spy Chiefs, U.S., Allies Agreed to Contain Huawei – Wall Street Journal

What happened: At a meeting in July, spy chiefs from an intelligence alliance known as the “Five Eyes”—made up of Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand—agreed they needed to contain Huawei. Soon afterward, the chiefs began speaking out against Chinese-made gear, especially related to 5G networks. The discussion focused on how to protect telecommunications networks from external interference.

Why it’s important: Huawei has faced an increasing number of roadblocks outside of China, particularly when it comes to 5G infrastructure. Most recently, the Japanese government put a plan in motion to block the company from government procurement. Officials explicitly stated that they had been communicating with the United States on cybersecurity issues.  Australia, New Zealand, and the UK have made moves to limit Huawei’s influence on their telecommunications infrastructure. The company’s CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada earlier this month for alleged crimes related to violating sanctions on Iran. She has been released on bail and faces extradition to the US.