Beijing opposes ban on Huawei products in Taipei institute

The mainland firmly opposes a decision by Taiwan-based Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) that bans its employees from using mobile phones and computers produced by mainland-based IT firm Huawei, Xinhua state-run agency reported.

“We are strongly against such an action that undermines regular economic and trade activities across the Taiwan Strait for the sake of politics,” said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, when asked to comment on the ITRI move at a press conference yesterday.

It not only harms interests of mainland enterprises but also consumers in Taiwan, Ma said, adding that the action was “pandering to certain foreign forces,” with the institute serving as a pawn, he said as quoted by Xinhua.

Earlier, Central News Agency (CNA) reported that the Institute for Information Industry (III) also announced it was banning smartphones made by Huawei Technologies from accessing its network, a day after ITRI said it was imposing a similar ban.

The III, which is a government-sponsored high-tech research group, told CNA this week that in order to improve cyber security at the organization, it is planning to completely ban devices made by Huawei by May of this year.

Institute spokesman Chen Wen-tang told CNA that the III last week carried out an equipment inventory which confirmed that neither the core host nor the backbone network used Huawei products. Equipment inventory management procedures for all products made by the Chinese brand are expected to be completed in June this year, said Chen.

As to when Huawei devices will be completely banned from all III’s internal wireless networks, Chen expects that the relevant procedures will be completed as soon as the end of April this year. Chen estimates that the complete ban of Huawei devices from III’s internal wireless networks will go into effect in May.

Chen yesterday told RTI
that devices made by other Chinese companies that are found to pose security risk will also be banned.

Concerning the banning of other Chinese-made devices, Chen said, “I would like to emphasize that there are some Chinese-made products that pose risks, but of course there must be some definitions. We will comply with projects put forward by the Cabinet or government departments before we can take concrete actions.”

In response to questions as to whether this would include Chinese brands such as OPPO or Xiaomi, he said, “perhaps products from other Chinese companies will be also be within the scope of consideration.” MDT/Agencies