Huawei protests FCC actions to block it in the U.S. on national security grounds

Guests hold umbrellas with Huawei logos at the Songshan Lake New Campus in Dongguan, China, May 31, 2019.

Jason Lee | Reuters

China's Huawei has responded again to actions from the Federal Communications Commission, releasing an ex parte memo further laying out its response to the commission's efforts to block its equipment on national security grounds.

"While Huawei does not agree with the view that Chinese companies pose a threat simply because they are Chinese, Huawei agrees that threats to network security do exist, and should be addressed comprehensively trough a holistic approach to supply chain security, not through a vendor-to-vendor approach," according to the brief.

The company cites comments by government officials that it says appear to indicate the U.S. may have economic motives for the ban, and cites the use of its equipment in other European and North American markets.

Huawei also said it has approached the FCC, but has not had a conversation with the commission about its proposal, which would involve using existing risk mitigation testing to put the equipment through an approval process.

"Huawei has been trying to schedule exparte meetings with all of the Commissioners to learn first-hand and directly address their concerns over the company. However, no Commissioner has yet agreed to meet personally with Huawei," the brief says.

The FCC did not immediately respond to comment on the new brief. In May, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks in an interview with The Verge reiterated the FCC's position: "We have a distinct role to serve in protecting our communication networks under the defense of national security as well as the safety of life and property. I think it is extremely important for us to step in to the full extent of our authority."

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