US ‘concerned’ about dangers of installing networks with equipment that can be manipulated by China

Observing that the Biden administration views 5G as a high priority, the US on Wednesday expressed concern about the dangers of installing networks with equipment that can be manipulated, disrupted, or even controlled by China which it alleged has no regard for human rights or privacy. “The Biden administration views 5G as a high priority, of course. We advocate for a vibrant digital economy that enables all citizens to benefit from the promise of 5G wireless networks. We also know that the stakes for securing these networks could not be any higher,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference.

He said 5G, of course, is transformative and will touch every aspect of lives, and this is critical for infrastructure sectors: transportation, electrical distribution, healthcare, public health, and many more.

“And so that is why we are concerned about the dangers of installing networks with equipment that can be manipulated, disrupted, or even controlled by the People’s Republic of China, which as we know, of course, has no regard for human rights or privacy,” Price said.