‘Ridiculous’ Huawei bans anger Beijing

China has hit out at the US and its “so-called allies” for banning its telecommunications giant Huawei from their 5G networks.

China has hit out at the US and its “so-called allies” for banning its telecommunications giant Huawei from their 5G networks, criticising them for “creating a sense of worldwide panic” that anyone using Chinese equipment will be spied upon.

Australia last year banned ­Chinese companies from supplying equipment to the next-generation 5G network, with a range of other countries including New Zealand, Japan and the US also making moves to restrict sales of Huawei equipment for 5G.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said it was “ridiculous logic” for anyone to argue that people using Chinese telecommunications equipment risked being spied on by the Chinese government.

“The US, Canada and several of their so-called allies have been going all out to create a sense of panic worldwide to the effect that anyone who uses China’s high-tech communications equipment will be spied on by China,” she said.

She said there was no ­evidence this was the case. “If they can offer no evidence, they’d better halt their ridiculous blatherings which only makes them a laughing stock for all,” she said.

Ms Hua said online comments about the spying potential of ­Chinese products had led to the situation where some were arguing that Chinese-made forks might be used for spying purposes.

Her comments come at a time when Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wenzhou, is on bail in Canada awaiting extradition to the US to face charges of violating American sanctions against doing business with Iran.

China is calling on Canada to release Ms Meng, who is due in court in Vancouver on February 6 to face a possible extradition ­hearing.

The US has confirmed it plans to lodge documents for extradition by Wednesday.

Ms Hua said the US and Canada were “arbitrarily abusing their ­bilateral extradition treaty” in a way that “seriously infringes on the security and legitimate rights of Chinese citizens”.

China’s ambassador to Canada, Lu Shaye, has warned that Canada could face repercussions if it took the decision to follow Australia and New Zealand in banning the use of ­Huawei equipment for 5G.

Ms Meng’s arrest was followed by the arrest of two Canadians in China on December 10: former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor who are still in jail.

Ms Hua also hit out at an open letter sent earlier this week by more than 100 academics and former diplomats including former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans calling on the Chinese government to release Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor.

She said those signing the letter “interfered with China’s ­judicial sovereignty” for the decision to ­arrest the men, who are being ­accused of endangering China’s national security.