Huawei denies wrongdoing, seeks urgent meeting with ministers

Huawei has been blocked from tendering for Spark's 5G build. Photo / File

Huawei New Zealand has denied any wrongdoing and says has had no contact from the government since yesterday's announcement that it has been blocked from participating in Spark's 5G build.

It was seeking "an urgent meeting with the relevant Ministers and officials to understand the Government's position and get clarification of the process from here, " Huawei New Zealand deputy managing director, Andrew Bowater said in a statement.

He also denied there was any evidence of wrongdoing by Huawei.

"Huawei would welcome the opportunity to actively address any concerns and work together to find a way forward," he said.

Yesterday afternoon, Spark pre-empted the government and GCSB by announcing the security agency's finding, and saying it could not now use Huawei gear for its pending 5G upgrade to its mobile network.

"The Director-General has informed Spark today that he considers Spark's proposal to use Huawei 5G equipment in Spark's planned 5G RAN would, if implemented, raise significant national security risks," Spark said.

"Under TICSA [The Telecommunications Interception Capability & Security Act], this means Spark cannot implement or give effect to its proposal to use Huawei RAN equipment in its planned 5G network."

But the GCSB's assessment that Huawei's 5G technology poses "significant national security risks" is "not a ban," Andrew Little told the Herald this morning.

Little emphasised that the relevant security legislation is "project-based. We would never ban a particular company or a particular country. That's not the way it works."

The decision was specific to a Spark proposal to use Huawei gear for its pending 5G upgrade to its mobile network.

He had no issue with Huawei gear that's already in Spark and other telco's networks or, potentially, Huawei different technology being used in future upgrades; Spark could still work with Huawei to address the security risk with 5G, the GCSB Minister said.

Huawei's Bowater said he denied there was any evidence of wrongdoing by Huawei.

"We strongly reject the notion that our business threatens New Zealand in any way. We deserve the opportunity to have our voice heard and to address any concerns in good faith," he said.

"Since Huawei was established in New Zealand in 2005 it has always worked in good faith
with the Government and other industry players. We believe that our involvement in the
telecommunications sector has benefited New Zealand's economy, businesses and
consumers."