China condemns US after plan to replace Huawei towers in Panama is unveiled

Following a US announcement of a project in Panama to replace communications towers installed by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, Beijing has condemned what it calls Washington’s “malign influence” in Latin America.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the region was “not the backyard of anyone” and accused the US of “politicising economic, trade and scientific and technological issues”.

He rejected US claims that Huawei’s equipment posed any national security threat and said that China’s dealings with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were built on “mutual respect”.

The statement was a response to an announcement by the US embassy in Panama promoting a new US$8 million initiative to replace Huawei telecoms equipment with “secure American technology” at 13 sites in the country.

Nor was China alone in its discontent. Last week, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino spoke at length about liberties he said the US embassy had taken in announcing the project.

Developed in coordination with Panama’s Ministry of Public Security, the plan includes the installation of seven new towers across four provinces.

South China Morning Post