Australia prepares to ban Huawei from 5G project over security fears

Security issues: Huawei logo is seen at the Mobile World Conference in Shanghai. Huawei has already been mostly shut out of the giant US market over national security concerns. — AFP

SYDNEY: Australia is preparing to ban Huawei Technologies Co Ltd from supplying equipment for its planned 5G broadband network after its intelligence agencies raised concerns that Beijing could force the Chinese telco to hand over sensitive data, two sources said.

Western intelligence agencies have for years raised concerns about Huawei’s ties to the Chinese government and the possibility that its equipment could be used for espionage. But there has never been any public evidence to support those suspicions.