Cybersecurity officials from dozens of countries on Friday proposed a couple of principles to safeguard the safety of next generation mobile networks amid concerns over the use of gear made by China's Huawei.
 
The non-binding proposals were released following a two-day meeting in Prague to debate the security of new 5G networks.
 
The U.S. has been lobbying friends to prohibit Huawei from 5G networks over concerns China's government could force the company to give it access to data for cyberespionage. Huawei, the world's biggest maker of telecom infrastructure equipment, has refused the allegations.
 
The propositions echoed security concerns, with some wording that also appeared to be aimed at raising the bar for Chinese suppliers. The document said 'security and risk assessment of vendors and network technologies' should be factored in, as well as 'the overall risk of influence on a supplier by a third country,' especially its 'model of governance.'
 
'Security and risk assessments of vendors and network technologies should take into account rule of law,' it said.
 
U.S. authorities have recommended their allies to take into consideration the laws and legal system of a country where a 5G supplier is based, stating that China's lack of independent judiciary means companies have no legal options if they don't want to comply with Beijing's orders.
 
The European Commission has also proposed that EU countries factor in the legal systems of the countries where 5G suppliers are headquartered.
 
At the meeting in Prague, the cybersecurity officials came mainly from countries that are strategic allies, including European Union member states, the United States and its Asia-Pacific allies including Australia, Japan and South Korea and Singapore. NATO and European Union authorities also got involved but China and Russia were not present.
 
Europe has become an essential battlefield in the war over whether to exclude Huawei, with countries gearing up to set up the new networks, starting with the auction of radio frequencies this year.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM