On 14 February 2019, the Financial Times published a letter by Ms. Zeng Rong, Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, entitled Huawei case is a blow to international co-operation. The full text is as follows:

Regarding the Financial Times' editorial comment ("Huawei will struggle to assuage western concerns", January 28), banning Huawei would reflect a dangerous tendency of abusing security concerns and politicising economic and technological issues. This would be, in fact, unilateralism and protectionism at work. Not only would this imperil the rules-based international order but also undermine business confidence and take its toll on the global investment environment, incurring heavy costs on all countries.

The UK owes its current achievements to the open and inclusive policy that it has pursued all along. Huawei's success in the UK is a most befitting example. Over the past five years, Huawei UK has invested and procured £2bn in the UK, creating 7,500 job opportunities. Its pledge of a further £3bn in the coming five years in investment and procurement in the UK underscores its continued commitment to economic and social progress and IT application of its host country.

Science has no borders. Countries should come together to push for scientific and technological progress. The development of high-tech industries including 5G is the result of open international co-operation. If we were to see technological innovation and co-operation as a zero-sum game, and set up man-made obstacles to hinder normal co-operation between enterprises, we would cut off innovation and development, poison the atmosphere of economic and scientific co-operation and see opportunities go to waste.

Amid rapid scientific progress and industrial revolution, every country is striving to keep up. Interfering or stopping others will not help one run faster. Countries should take part in healthy competition with an open and inclusive mind, so that technological innovation could benefit people all over the world.

Zeng Rong

Spokesperson, Chinese Embassy