Image: US State Department
The US Department of State announced on Friday that it signed four more European nations to 5G security statements.
The Slovak Republic, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia all made a joint declaration with the United States, while Kosovo signed a memorandum of understanding. The text of all four were very similar.
“To promote a vibrant and robust 5G ecosystem, the Slovak Republic and the United States believe that a rigorous evaluation of suppliers and supply chains should take into account the rule of law; the security environment; ethical supplier practices; and a supplier’s compliance with security standards and best practices,” one of the declarations read.
The declarations fall under Washington’s Clean Network program announced in August to cover carriers, app stores, cloud computing, and subsea cables.
“Huawei, an arm of the PRC surveillance state, is trading on the innovations and reputations of leading US and foreign companies,” United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at the time.
“These companies should remove their apps from Huawei’s app store to ensure they are not partnering with a human rights abuser.”
Since that time, the US has claimed that much of Europe — whether by government bans or major telcos choosing to not use equipment from Huawei or ZTE — have joined of its Clean Network program.
Also on Friday, Huawei announced its third-quarter results, which saw revenue increase almost 10% to 671 billion yuan, with its net margin sitting at 8%. At the same time last year, the company reported revenue grew 24% to 611 billion yuan, with the net margin being 8.7%.
“Throughout the first three quarters of 2020, Huawei’s business results basically met expectations,” the company said.
“As the world grapples with COVID-19, Huawei’s global supply chain is being put under intense pressure and its production and operations face significant challenges. The company continues to do its best to find solutions, survive and forge forward, and fulfill its obligations to customers and suppliers.”
Earlier last week, the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) signed a partnership with Huawei to create a National AI Capability Development Program in the Arabian kingdom.
“Through the National AI Capability Development Program and our cooperation with Huawei, Saudi Arabia can not only continue acquiring the most cutting-edge technologies, but also learn from successful experiences internationally in adopting best practices,” CEO of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence at SDAIA Dr Majid Altuwaijri said.
SDAIA also signed a smart city agreement with Alibaba Cloud.
“Alibaba Cloud’s AI platform will empower KSA cities to intelligently manage city services and to create new smart solutions that will make them more resilient and responsive to the needs of the citizens,” SDAIA said.
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