QCOSTARICA — On December 7, China firmly dismissed worries about cyber-security and espionage posed by Costa Rica’s president in relation to the ineligibility of Chinese tech organization Huawei to control 5G mobile data networks in Costa Rica.
In a statement, China’s embassy in Costa Rica blasted the government’s position as baseless, and in the past has said such statements could undermine economic ties with the Asian giant, the world’s second-biggest economy.
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A day ealier, on December 6, Costa Rica’s president, Rodrigo Chaves, argued that his focus is to promote national security, while also saying that China’s government obligates Chinese firms to provide it with all information it requests.
“The country where Huawei is based doesn’t have a solid judicial framework that prevents spying,” haves told reporters at the weekly government press conference.
A day later, China’s embassy shot back, stating that the “accusations over cyber-security lack reason”.
The dispute over the development of Costa Rica’s 5G mobile network – designed to provide more robust connections along with faster data and higher capacity – dates back to August when a senior United States military commander publicly questioned Huawei’s suitability.
Shortly afterwards, Chaves signed a decree aiming to ban firms from 5G development countries that have not agreed to an international cybercrime convention.
The decree’s ban applies to tech companies from China, South Korea, Russia and Brazil, among others.
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Huawei currently provides Costa Rica’s government with other telecommunication services, and the firm is currently awaiting a ruling from the country’s constitutional court over whether it is being unfairly treated due to home base in China.
China “categorically rejects” all criminal wrongdoing, its embassy said in its statement, adding that it also opposes what it described as the politicisation of scientific and other technological issues.
The dispute risks upsetting ties between China and Costa Rica, which in 2007 was the first Central American nation to formally recognise Beijing.
With notes from Reuters
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