Political pressure in US scuppers win-win deal
The "last minute" decision by US telecoms carrier AT&T to drop a partnership deal with Huawei Technologies to sell the Chinese brand's smartphones in the United States, as reported on Wednesday, is the result of political pressure rather than business considerations.
One month before the deal was to be unveiled this week, US lawmakers sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking it to review Huawei's smartphone business, claiming Huawei, which also makes network equipment, "poses a security threat to the United States and to our systems".
It is ridiculous that such a mindset reminiscent of "reds under the bed" McCarthyism still holds sway in the US in this era of globalization, when no product can be manufactured without global supply chains. In fact, as an industry leader, Huawei has won trust in 170 markets based on integrity of its products.
