THE Chinese embassy in Paris on Sunday urged the French Government not to discriminate against Huawei as it selects suppliers for its 5G mobile network, saying it feared the company would face more constraints than rivals.

France is in the early stages of rolling out its next-generation wireless technology, and the government’s stance over Huawei’s possible role still lacks clarity, according to some telecom industry trade bodies. Some French media outlets have reported in recent months that the company could face restrictions in several cities.

The Chinese embassy said in a statement on its website that it was “shocked and worried” by such reports, adding that French President Emmanuel Macron and other officials had given repeated assurances that all companies would be treated fairly.

“If, due to security concerns, the French Government truly does have to impose constraints on operators, it should establish transparent criteria around this and treat all companies equally,” said the embassy. It added that security fears about Huawei were unfounded.

The embassy also said that China had used foreign companies such as Finland’s Nokia and Sweden’s Ericsson to equip its own domestic networks.

“We do not wish to see the development of European companies in China affected due to discrimination against Huawei and protectionism in France and other European countries,” it said.

France’s cybersecurity agency ANSSI, which is scrutinizing equipment from various suppliers, is due to issue its preliminary findings later this month.

Some telecom operators have already picked 5G equipment makers, with France’s Orange opting for Nokia and Ericsson.

(SD-Agencies)