After Huawei CFO Is Arrested, Maltese Government Confirms ‘No Change’ In Relationship With Chinese Telecom Giant
Malta’s government has confirmed there will be no change in its working relationship with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei after the company’s Chief Financial Officer was arrested in Canada over suspicions of breaking international sanctions.
“The government follows all developments in this and other areas. No change in the current relationship is being envisaged at this time,” a government spokesperson told Lovin Malta.
“Furthermore, Malta will not interfere in the dispute between two countries with which it has excellent relations” – Maltese government
Huawei has come under increased scrutiny in recent months as suspicions of increasingly close ties between the telecoms giant and the Chinese government are causing Western governments to feel uneasy.
Many countries – including Malta – have issued plans to work with Huawei in light of their advanced and affordable technology, installing their communications and surveillance equipment across their countries.
However, the arrest of Meng Wanzhou (the Huawei’s CFO and the granddaughter of the company’s founder) under a federal warrant accusing her of misleading authorities and banks about dealings between her company and a company operating in Iran, threatens to undermine some of the goodwill the company had developed.
US sanctions in Iran forbid this kind of transaction.
The Maltese government enjoys a good working relationship with China, the US and Canada, and a spokesperson confirmed that, due to these “excellent” relationships, the Maltese government would not be interfering in the recent developments.
Over the weekend, the Chinese government threatened Canada with “grave consequences” if they did not immediately release Wanzhou.
Pictured: Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou
Joe Cuschieri, director of Safe City Malta, the authority concerned with the installation of Huawei-designed surveillance cameras around Paceville and Marsa, declined to comment
When contacted by Lovin Malta, he said questions should be sent to the relevant ministry.