Huawei threatens NZ while Hong Kong burns
After China praised violence on Auckland University campus between pro-China and Hong Kong activists, Huawei have threatened NZ if we don’t allow their spy network to operate here…
Huawei warns govt it may pull out of New Zealand
Huawei NZ managing director Yanek Fan wrote to GCSB Minister Andrew Little and Communications Minister Kris Faafoi in early July to outline the potential consequences of a ban, the company confirmed.
The letter – which was leaked to NZME – said it would be “arbitrary and capricious” to single out Huawei when its competitors also have links to China.
Such an approach would have “a significant effect” on Huawei’s revenue, creating a “real risk” the company would have to leave the New Zealand market, the letter said.
…now of course we know that NZ is utterly compromised by American mass surveillance through our 5 Eyes relationship and that the GCSB alongside the NSA can read all our electronic communications unfettered by civil rights concerns but that doesn’t;t mean we should allow the largest Communist Totalitarian regime to gain that ability as well.
We are facing these threats at the same time Hong Kong is burning…
One of the world’s busiest airports cancelled all flights after thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters crowded into the main terminal.
Hong Kong International Airport said in a statement that Monday’s demonstration “seriously disrupted” airport operations.
In Beijing, the Cabinet’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office issued a statement saying the situation in Hong Kong was “beginning to show the sprouts of terrorism” and constituted an “existential threat” to the population of Hong Kong.
“One must take resolute action toward this violent criminality, showing no leniency or mercy,” said the statement, attributed to spokesman Yang Guang.
“Hong Kong has reached an inflection point where all those who are concerned about Hong Kong’s future must say ‘no,’ to law breakers and ‘no’ to those engaged in violence.”
…Professor Anne-Marie Brady notes how the local Chinese mouthpiece media are covering the issue…
…this matters because China has an enormous local population in NZ…
…I would imagine the numbers are far higher now. One fear is that China will use this population to start projecting their national interests either through protest on the streets or by infiltrating the National Party and dominate their political agenda. They’ve succeeded at the latter.
The Right have exploited Chinese immigration to prop up the speculative property bubble so the middle classes felt like millionaires and to enable the sale of cheap milk powder to China which has trapped our Dairy Industry with intensification debt while the Identity Politics Left attacked anyone criticising Chinese immigration as racist white supremacist xenophobes.
This lack of courage to make principled arguments against Chinese economic domination has led us to this combustable position.
If Hong Kong implodes, our Chinese Overlords will flex their muscles across the South Pacific. What will National and the Identity Politics Left say then?
I love how Jacinda and Andrew Little were like, “Well… that’s their decision.” Essentially saying to Huawei, if you want to throw your toys out of the pram because we’re interested in protecting the integrity of our telecommunications infrastructure, feel free. You know where the door is.
We don’t respond well to threats in New Zealand — even if they’re badly disguised.
Mark whats your problem?
Chines criticise us all the time so the door swings both wats doesn’t it.
Grow some spine.
Perhaps it’s a little spineless to interpret the letter as ”threatening”. I agree the ”door swings both wats [sic]” but that’s not the point.
As for Huawei, I feel a bit of sympathy for them as they are a well run company.. but by the narrowest of margins agree that they could be a security risk going forward.
Chinese government are not independent from their Chinese businesses and so of course they will be open to spying, they are pretty much forced to do it if they are asked to by their government.
The US are probably just as bad though but through 5 eyes and legislation on the ISP’s.
If Huawei go, then they will lose customers here in NZ and if they keep it up will lose customers around the world, so I’m not sure it is a great business decision going forward to just abandon market share in NZ.
It is unfair to Huawei, but that is the cost of being a Chinese run business and they can combat that by being better in other tech areas less related to spying concerns.
There are other options for NZ companies and consumers to use.
Good luck to Huawei, it is not their fault. And China should be proud of them being able to hold their own in that space.
“The Right have exploited Chinese immigration to prop up the speculative property bubble so the middle classes felt like millionaires”
… not quite true, the left were just as militant if not more, about everyone was a NIMBY if they didn’t agree with the regime of deregulation of zoning, supercity and forceful SHA which they conveniently forget they supported to get all the land rezoned, now at Ihamatao forgetting their earlier stance of militant support for the SHA and forceful non democratic zoning changes around Auckland.
The right wanted more housing so that the right wing immigration goals could be achieved, the land went up and could be sold off to developers, but the woke and many lefties were too stupid to work it out, have zero self reflection to work out they just did a U turn and what the consequences of SHA really were, are reluctant to count whose being displaced and who is gaining, and just cruising around joining a free meal, feeling superior at their group think which was the opposite position a couple of years ago when they were all for building houses at any cost and were not interested in listening to the potential pitfalls and injustices both cultural and environmental, that were going to come out of that approach.
The Māori wards was made redundant when all the historical Māori sites around Auckland was struck off the protected list or what ever it is. This is when SOUL first became a thing, and I’m still a believer in building up, not out. So we are talking about radical lefty doing a upturn here or woke de woke Dee’s correct? I would even encourage SOUL to keep developing and build up. I just think that’s the correct thing to do really.