New Zealand has prevented a leading telecommunications operator from installing fifth-generation (5G) wireless equipment from Chinese firm Huawei due to national security concerns, the latest blow to the company that several countries have accused of having close ties to Beijing, the Financial Times reports.
Huawei has already faced similar bans in the United States and Australia, and is currently under investigation in the United Kingdom. According to the FT, the US has been pressuring its Five Eyes intelligence partners to crack down on Chinese network providers like Huawei and ZTE.
Network operator Spark New Zealand confirmed on Wednesday that the company’s request to use Huawei 5G solutions had been denied by the country’s intelligence agency as it would cause “significant national security risks.”