Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Huawei 5G kit in Faroe Islands: Chinese ambassador 'linked Huawei contract to ... trade deal' – report

Hot mic snafu reportedly caught by TV station

Updated China's ambassador to Denmark has reportedly threatened to kill off a proposed free trade deal unless the semiautonomous Faroe Islands sign a deal with Huawei for 5G mobile network equipment.

The explosive revelations were made by Berlingske, a Danish daily newspaper based in Copenhagen.

The allegations are based on an audio clip reportedly recorded by Faroese TV station Kringvarp Føroya.

The article in the Danish paper states: "Berlingske has learnt that Ambassador Feng Tie made it clear in two meetings on 11 November - first with the Faroese foreign minister, Jenis av Rana, and later the same day with the Faroese finance minister, Jørgen Niclasen, and the islands' lagmand, or prime minister, Bárður Nielsen – that if the Faroese telecoms operator Føroya Tele agreed to let Huawei build the 5G network, all doors would be open to a free trade agreement between China and the Faroese Islands."

If they didn't sign a contract with Huawei, the newspaper alleged, Feng threatened Denmark by saying the trade agreement would be trashed. The Faroes export a growing quantity of salmon to China, with the fish making up a significant part of the semiautonomous archipelago's economy.

The Danish Ministry of Defence was said to have told their government that Huawei posed a security risk, a position enthusiastically promoted by the US but with noticeably little evidence to back it up.

If true, this diplomatic incident will make it far harder for Huawei to maintain its position that it is a private company with no formal links to the communist Chinese state.

Feng was accredited with Denmark in June this year as ambassador and plenipotentiary of China, meaning he has full authority to make statements on behalf of his country and to commit the People's Republic to doing or not doing certain things. An article from June under his name says: "I am ready to work with my Danish colleagues and friends to promote mutual trust and enhance exchanges and co-operation for new progress in our relationship."

The meeting became public knowledge after Danish trade minister Helgi Abrahamsen, due to be interviewed on TV, was pulled aside by a senior civil servant.

According to the paper, that civil servant "discussed the Chinese ambassador's threats to the Faroese government in a confidential conversation with the minister, which was randomly recorded by the TV station because Helgi Abrahamsen had a microphone on his jacket."

"For the past seven days, the Faroese government has sought to keep the recording a secret by getting an injunction to prevent the Faroese TV station Kringvarp Føroya from publishing its content. Kringvarp Føroya had planned to reveal the recording in a Faroese news broadcast Monday a week ago," reported Berlingske.

The Register has asked Huawei for comment and looks forward to hearing back from the firm's PR representatives in due course.

Updated on 11 December to add

Huawei has made contact following publication of the article. A spokesman told us:

"Huawei was not aware of any meeting between the Chinese embassador and faroese politicians in November as reported.” ®

 

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like