Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Ed Markey (D-MA) released the following statements in response to the Committee on Foreign Relations unanimous passage of their resolution which declares: “the United States should reiterate to countries choosing to incorporate Huawei or ZTE products into their new telecommunications infrastructure that the United States will seek to limit the risks posed to the United States Government or Armed Forces from use of such compromised networks.” 

Some U.S. partners and allies are relying on these Chinese telecommunications companies to build their 5G networks, even after the U.S. government has called on these countries to abandon utilizing Huawei and ZTE. While some U.S. allies are heeding U.S. warnings regarding Chinese telecommunications equipment, allies like Germany have not.

Allowing Huawei equipment to be installed in the United States or our allied nations will introduce serious risks in our communication systems. This bipartisan resolution complements the Administration’s efforts to highlight these threats and shows that the United States Congress also has serious concerns about using certain Chinese telecommunications equipment in global 5G infrastructure.

“Huawei and ZTE telecommunications products are not safe for the U.S. or any of our allies around the globe,” said Senator Gardner. “Our intelligence community has made it abundantly clear Huawei and ZTE put the security of our communications at risk and it is concerning that allies like Germany are considering relying on their products. I’m pleased this week our bipartisan resolution was unanimously approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to emphasize what this Administration, previous Administrations, and many of our allies have said about the risks of Huawei and ZTE. It is my hope that all of our allies in Europe and around the globe hear us loud and clear.”

“Our allies and partners should understand the risk Chinese telecommunications companies like Huawei and ZTE pose to their networks and our ability to communicate with each other in a secure manner,” said Senator Coons. “I urge the administration to continue its work with our allies so they are fully able to protect the 5G networks of the future.”

“In today’s increasingly connected world, we must work with our allies and partners to animate technology with our values, especially in 5G networks. Chinese law requires its companies, including Huawei and ZTE, to fully cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party. If we don’t address emerging threats collectively, we stand to jeopardize our national security, the rules of the road, and the very underpinnings of the international system,” said Senator Markey.

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