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ICT training to help produce job-ready
graduates. Its links with the company are
well established: in 2014, Huawei won the
tender to replace the university’s internet
and CCTV networks.
Then there’s UNSW, with its connection
to Huawei through its Torch Innovation
Precinct. The project involves collaboration
between universities and Chinese
companies – Huawei included – to create
high-tech startups. UNSW has assured
that it conducts due diligence on all of
the companies it partners with, and is
transparent about its dealings.
However, according to a report by
Foreign Brief, a geopolitical risk analysis
company, “in a potential future scenario of
increased security tensions between Beijing
and Canberra, this transparency may not
be enough”.
A STORM IN A MICROCHIP?
Greg Austin, professor of cyber security,
strategy and diplomacy at UNSW Canberra,
says the concern around Huawei and
espionage is “a little confused” and has taken
on “a hysterical, irrational tone”.
“It reflects the ignorance of the realities
of espionage and technologies,” the former
intelligence analyst said.
“The Chinese government does not need
to rely on corporations to collect intel ...
It can collect it by a variety of means. For
example, it can plant people in international
corporations.”
Nick Lyall, Sino analyst at Foreign Brief,
who authored the above-mentioned report,
concurred with Austin.
“Like many debates involving China, the
issue has become hyper-politicised,” he said.
“IT experts ... assert that the main concern
with Huawei relates to its insufficient
cybersecurity measures, largely relating to
instances of buggy software.”
Austin added that universities, via their
links with Huawei, and expert opinions like
his, can help counter the hysteria. He added
that other countries, like France, Israel
and the US, also spy on us. And besides,
“China is not our enemy”.
“We need China to deal with climate
change, biosecurity and global
telecommunications,” he said. “We need to
balance that against the very small negative
impact of espionage.”
Lyall’s view on this is more nuanced.
“The main argument used is that China,
specifically the Communist Party,
has political values that are anathema
to Australia’s, whereas [for example]
Israel doesn’t,” he said.
“Therefore, regarding the question of
whether Chinese espionage should be
viewed differently to espionage by, say,
Israel, the real question this masks is: Are
you happy with China being a (but not the)
dominant player on the world stage?”
Huawei, which did not respond to a
request for comment, is hardly the first
Chinese subject of Western suspicion.
Research scientists, for instance, have long
been under governmental surveillance. ■
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