US intelligence agencies have accused Huawei of being funded by Chinese state security, adding to the list of allegations faced by the Chinese technology company in the West.
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The CIA accused Huawei of receiving funding from China’s National Security Commission, the People’s Liberation Army and a third branch of the Chinese state intelligence network, The Times, a British newspaper, said on Saturday.
Earlier this year, US intelligence shared its claims with other members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group, which includes Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, according to the report.
Huawei dismissed the allegations in a statement cited by the newspaper.
“Huawei does not comment on unsubstantiated allegations backed up by zero evidence from anonymous sources,” a Huawei representative told the British newspaper.
The accusation comes at a time of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The administration of US President Donald Trump claims that Huawei’s equipment could be used for espionage and has warned other countries against adopting 5G systems from Huawei.
Authorities in the United States are probing Huawei for alleged sanctions violations.
Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer and daughter of its founder, Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Canada in December at the request of the United States on charges of bank and wire fraud in violation of US sanctions against Iran.
The company has denied the US accusations and says the concerns are unfounded.
Huawei last year surpassed Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer behind Samsung.
Critics of the US claim that its motive in attacking Huawei is not because it is a genuine security threat – but because it is a rival in a crucial sector of the world economy in which America has enjoyed unrivaled supremacy for decades.
