Live data from Hacker News

U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

barrons.com

71–80 of 257 posts

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would this be considered souring the relationship, when it is child's play compared to the restrictions put on Americans selling in China?

Apple is the #1 smartphone brand in China. American companies are much more active in the Chinese market than vice-versa. If China starts reacting in kind, a lot of American companies will be in for a world of hurt.

Manufactured in China, with forced technology transfer.

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's correct, they certainly have the right to not answer questions...and the US government has the right to interpret that lack of cooperation any way it chooses, and, say, ban their products.

What government can do is limited by the constitution. Generally speaking, unless these companies have done something unlawful there is no ground for banning their products. Is it established that they have broken US laws?

> Generally speaking, unless these companies have done something unlawful there is no ground for banning their products.

I don't think the right to sell goods is in the Constitution. What is in the constitution is an explicit grant to power to Congress to "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations"

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's correct, they certainly have the right to not answer questions...and the US government has the right to interpret that lack of cooperation any way it chooses, and, say, ban their products.

What government can do is limited by the constitution. Generally speaking, unless these companies have done something unlawful there is no ground for banning their products. Is it established that they have broken US laws?

No post body was provided.

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#74
post #39

Every article I’ve ever read that cites “national security concerns” never, ever explicitly goes into the exact, computational mechanism in which it is a security concern. It’s always something like “Chinese company under Chinese government, therefore bad”. Never anything concrete or substantive from a software engineer POV, such as what exactly is phoned-home, or what actual subversions are happening currently, only…

Many examples, e.g. https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/31/16072786/amazon-blu-suspe.... “In November 2016, security firm Kryptowire detected pre-loaded remote surveillance software on BLU phones sold online through Amazon and Best Buy. In August 2017, Amazon pulled BLU Products from its website over security vulnerabilities that resulted in BLU consumer user data being covertly sent to China.”

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#76
post #39

Every article I’ve ever read that cites “national security concerns” never, ever explicitly goes into the exact, computational mechanism in which it is a security concern. It’s always something like “Chinese company under Chinese government, therefore bad”. Never anything concrete or substantive from a software engineer POV, such as what exactly is phoned-home, or what actual subversions are happening currently, only…

That’s because you’re reading the general news and not the primary sources.

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#78

Reminder of how this started... when Huawei and ZTE decided that because they weren't American companies, they didnt need to answer questions from Congress, and even outright lied about the structure of their companies to conceal CPC/government involvement: https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:rm226yb7473/Huawei-ZT...

That obviously wasn't a very good move from Huawei and ZTE but it's disingenuous to claim this is what caused the current situation. It simply handed the US government a convenient stick when they really wanted one, and they would therefore have found one in any case.

There is a global geopolitical struggle between the US and China, and the US see China as an increasingly serious threat to their 'leadership'. That really is the bottom line.

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is government involvement problematic? Many firms have government involvement, often in an under the table manner. For example Airbus. Government involvement is in itself no grounds for banning a company.

These companies have a board of Communist Party members that approve all company decisions/actions.

Even American companies in China have a Party cell. This is the law for all companies above a certain size. Those cells do not 'approve all company decisions'.

Re: U.S. bans equipment from Huawei and ZTE, citing national security concerns

#80
post #37
post #32

Whe you consider China's restrictions against US companies, these things are a drop in a bucket.

A lot gets buried in the privacy discussions but the unfair trade practices are also a problem. For example Western app makers don't have access to Chinese consumers the same way Chinese app makers have access to Western consumers.

Even companies as large as Uber got strong armed in china. From having traffic shut off completely inside the country without warning (no net neutrality laws) to having to setup an entirely new business in china that didn’t touch the US one.

I have little sympathy and i hope that the Us continues to push restrictions on china tech.

Post reply on HN