Australian Gov't Bans Huawei From National Network Bids 168
An anonymous reader writes "It looks like paranoia regarding Chinese cyber-espionage is riding sky-high within the Australian Government. It was confirmed today that the country's Attorney-General's Department had banned Chinese networking vendor Huawei (the number two telco networking equipment vendor globally) from bidding for work supplying equipment to the government's $50 billion National Broadband Network universal fibre project. The unprecedented move comes despite Huawei offering to share its source code with security officials, and despite Huawei not being accused of breaking any laws in Australia. Questions over the legality of the Government's move are already being raised."
Their source code? (Score:5, Insightful)
Don't they mean Nortel's source code?
Is it paranoia if it's true? But what do you have? (Score:5, Insightful)
Huawei is an arm of the Chinese government. Officially and in practice. There are members of the Chinese Communist Party permanently assigned to it who monitor correctness and suggest policy (under pain of death). They will spy and steal tech if the Party thinks it's useful. That's just how they roll.
The only real question is whether anyone gives a damn what's going over Australia's National Broadband Network. If not, then Huawei may be cheaper.
Maybe the Oz govt doesn't want to censor us? (Score:3, Insightful)
I just bet that Huawei networking has really neat built in ways to censor all sorts of content from pirated stuff, child porn, maybe even (gasp!) political comments. So maybe our (Oz) government really isn't interested in censorship?
Nah. On second thoughts, they were just too dumb to notice the opportunity.
Not a smart move to openly object to this ban. (Score:4, Insightful)
Questions over the legality of the Government's move are already being raised.
...by people who support Huawei, most likely. Unfortunately for Huawei's defenders in Australia (and outside of Australia as evidenced by those), it puts them in the open as standing against their own country and having a greater allegiance for the PRC.
Stand strong Australia, and resist the urge to bend to the will of China. They will do everything to get you to back down - stop only when they give up and lose face.
Re:Are the concerns valid? (Score:5, Insightful)
Code audits don't reveal backdoors in hardware. I've disassembled malicious silicon from China. I don't really trust anything built in their fabs now. Personal phone calls, sure. Corporate, well, just assume you've been compromised.
Re:Are the concerns valid? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:national security (Score:2, Insightful)
True enough on this. Remember it's not paranoia when you know they're after you(or your stuff, or secrets), it's being smart and protecting your ass.
Re:Not a smart move to openly object to this ban. (Score:5, Insightful)
No, China wouldn't consider a trade war. They'd appeal to the WTO, claiming Australia makes an unreasonable claim to Article XIV.1.a. But clearly 1) this only affects Huawei, not all Chinese network equipment makes, 2) in fact is only coincidentally affecting China with Huawei being a Chinese entity, 3) a government buying secure routing equipment can discriminate based on reputation of vendors.
The bigger issue is how China can be permitted to continue to allow its state to run businesses while remaining a member of the WTO. It's a problem illuminated by Huawei: the business is suspect, which makes the Chinese government suspect. Which then makes ALL businesses the Chinese government meddles in suspect. Which is tantamount to discrimination based on origin when they're shown the door. The WTO was never intended to include countries like China where there is no constitutional separation between affairs of state and private business.
Re:Oh no! National interest trumping the Free Mark (Score:4, Insightful)
G'day Clive, you fat bastard! How are your "Greens are a CIA plot" claims working out for you?
Clive's clearly a loon, but he's just a symptom of the problem.
Check each of the links below and ask yourself "Would this be happening in a country where the actions of the government are in the best interests of its people".
Let me know your answer. I'll be interested.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-21/australians-pay-highest-power-prices-says-study/3904024 [abc.net.au]
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3460798.htm [abc.net.au]
http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/03/21/official-australia-the-best-place-for-miners-in-the-world-again/ [crikey.com.au]
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/billionaires-grow-fat-off-lazy-government-20120321-1vij7.html [smh.com.au]
Re:Oh no! National interest trumping the Free Mark (Score:3, Insightful)
No doubt you will feel cheated if Australia doesn't receive all the benefits of Chinese attention that the United States has received.
FBI cracks down on China's elusive army of amateur spies [telegraph.co.uk]
The FBI estimates that more than 3,000 "front companies" have been established by Chinese nationals in the US specifically to purloin military and economic secrets illegally.
Let Me Count The Ways China Is Stealing Our Secrets [manufacturing.net]
China: Suspected Acquisition of U.S. Nuclear Weapon Secrets [fas.org]
This CRS Report discusses China’s suspected acquisition of U.S. nuclear weapon secrets, including that on the W88, the newest U.S. nuclear warhead.
China's Secret War [frontpagemag.com]
Of course, why worry?
China warns Australia against military pact with US [indiatimes.com]
Aussies fear threat of war with China [heraldsun.com.au]
Re:Are the concerns valid? (Score:3, Insightful)
Why is being in bed with Beijing bad, but in bed with DC ok?
It is about preserving our way of life. China is a Marxist–Leninist single-party state (nominally communist). The US and Australia are both democracies whose constitutions share similar ideas. China has played a big part in the spread of communism, mostly through force.
Re:national security (Score:5, Insightful)
Australia is usually very open with China and acknowledges them as a crucial trading partner; often bending over backwards to accommodate Chinese business, especially the current government.
I would think that there must be some serious intelligence information motivating this public slap in the face for a top-tier chinese company.