Six former top US generals issue grave warning to ban Huawei

New Zealand's membership of the Five Eyes group should be reconsidered given its close relationship with Beijing.

By Ben Westcott

Six retired US military leaders have issued a statement calling on America's allies to ban Chinese technology giants from outfitting their 5G networks, citing "grave concerns" over security.
The statement, released Wednesday, was signed by six highly-respected, retired US military officials, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe James Stavridis.
"As military leaders who have commanded US and allied troops around the world, we have grave concerns about a future where a Chinese-developed 5G network is widely adopted among our allies and partners," the statement began.
The joint statement comes as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern refuted suggestions that Chinese technology company Huawei had been banned in her country.
Huawei is one of China's largest technology companies and in recent years has become one of the most widely-used providers of super-fast 5G network technology globally.

"I've seen some suggestion that Huawei products have been banned in New Zealand, that's simply not the case," said Ardern, during an interview broadcast on Chinese state media CGTN.
"We already have Huawei products in New Zealand and Huawei already operates in New Zealand," she added.
The Trump administration has been pushing hard for diplomatic partners to remove Huawei technology from their networks, claiming the company is too close to the Chinese government.
New Zealand is a longtime ally of the United States and a member of their exclusive Five Eyes intelligence sharing community, along with Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada.
A former US government analyst Peter Mattis said in 2018 that New Zealand's membership of the group should be reconsidered given its close relationship with Beijing.
In their statement, Wednesday, the US military leaders highlighted three areas of concern over a growing presence of Chinese technology in international networks -- espionage, risks to future military operations and undermining democracy and human rights.
"The Chinese Cyber Security Law and other national strategies like 'military-civil fusion' mean that nothing Chinese firms do can be independent of the state. Firms must support the law enforcement, intelligence, and national security interests of the Chinese Communist Party," the statement said.
They claimed calls for the US intelligence community to produce evidence, or a "smoking gun," to justify calls for a ban "misunderstand the challenge at hand."

"The onus should instead be on Beijing to explain why it is prudent for countries to rely on Chinese telecommunications technology when Beijing's current practices threaten the integrity of personal data, government secrets, military operations, and liberal governance," the statement said.
New Zealand's Ardern wrapped up a two-day visit to China at the beginning of this week, a visit which was intended to shore up somewhat-rocky relations between the two nominally friendly nations.
It was a decision by New Zealand's security services to recommend against the use of Huawei technology which led to the reported rift.
But when asked during her interview with Chinese state media if US objections to Huawei would influence New Zealand policy, Ardern said no.
"New Zealand has not been pressured in that regard but even, regardless, it would make no difference. We determine our policy and our position on these matters," she said.

New Zealand: Trojan Horse with Chinese Characteristics

New Zealand's Five Eyes membership called into question over China links
Both major political parties have links to China’s Communist party

By Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi shakes hands with New Zealand’s foreign minister Winston Peters in Beijing on 25 May.

The New Zealand government’s relationship with China has come under the spotlight after a former CIA analyst in the US said the nation’s participation in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance needs to be reconsidered.
Giving testimony to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission , Peter Mattis said Jacinda Ardern’s Labour party had accepted money from donors with links to the Chinese Communist party, while former prime minister Bill English had routinely briefed Jian Yang, a National MP who was revealed to have worked at an institution that trained Chinese spies.

“Australia and New Zealand both face substantial problems with interference by the Chinese Communist party,” Mattis told the hearing.

New Zealand's Chinese fifth column: case officer Jian Yang (L) and Bill English (R)

“In both cases, the CCP [Chinese Communist party] has gotten very close to or inside the political core, if you will, of both countries. The primary difference between the two has simply been their reaction.”
“In New Zealand, both the last prime minister, Bill English, and Jacinda Ardern have denied that there’s a problem at all,” he went on.
“I think that at some level the Five Eyes or the Four Eyes need to have a discussion about whether or not New Zealand can remain, given this problem with the political core.”
The Five Eyes is an intelligence network made up of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Nigel Haworth, the Labour party president, said he had no idea “what or to whom” the Mattis testimony was referring, and all political donations to Labour were above board and complied with the Electoral Act.
“All party donations over $15,000, including who they are from, are listed on the Electoral Commission website for anyone to inspect,” Haworth said.
The National leader, Simon Bridges, said it was “completely false” that former prime minister and National leader English routinely shared information.
China expert Prof Anne-Marie Brady from the University of Canterbury has frequently warned of growing Chinese influence in New Zealand, a message echoed by Hillary Clinton on a recent trip to the country, saying New Zealand needed to take the threat “seriously”.
“If a proud, independent democracy like New Zealand can’t deal with Chinese political interference activities, this is a really bad sign to the rest of the world of the way things are going,” said Brady, who has had her home and office burgled in thefts she has linked to her work on Chinese foreign influence.
“Other countries are worried about New Zealand, and the apparent silence on the issue from our government ... New Zealand is the canary in the coal mine, if we can’t deal with it, who can?”