A.G. Gancarski
The British said “no way” to Huawei, and one Florida Senator is singing the Prime Minister’s praises.
Sen. Rick Scott, a Naples Republican in his first term, lauded as the “right move” the decision to restrict the telecom colossus from the United Kingdom’s nascent 5G market.
“Keeping Huawei out of the UK’s 5G network is vital to ensuring Communist China can’t steal their data and extend their influence across the world,” Scott tweeted Saturday.
The Senator, who recently declared a “new Cold War” with China, was responding to an article in London’s Telegraph, which reported Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying he wanted to zero out Huawei by 2023.
Scott has backed up his rhetoric with bills, including February legislation designed to make doing business with the company difficult for American vendors.
“We know Huawei is supported and controlled by the communist regime in Beijing, which continues to violate human rights and steal our data, technology, and intellectual property. Companies in the United States should not be allowed to sell to Huawei, and my legislation will further restrict their ability,” Scott said upon introducing the legislation.
Scott also has sought to block federal funds being used for Huawei equipment.
“The tech that Huawei manufactures gives them access to data and information that would be invaluable to Communist China’s efforts to influence governments all over the world. Huawei is being used as a tool for Communist China to commit espionage on foreign nations, their own citizens and anyone they see as a threat,” Scott wrote to U.S. Attorney General William Barr in late 2019.
The Senator has offered other policy recommendations.
He advised investment leaders to divest investments from China,
“U.S.-listed Chinese companies present regulatory, oversight and enforcement challenges that undermine transparency and confidence in American markets. U.S. investors have few legal and even fewer practical remedies when Chinese firms that raise capital on U.S. stock markets do not comply with U.S. disclosure rules, or flaunt our regulatory requirements,” the Senator said.
Scott’s call for the investor class to shun Chinese assets came soon after the Senator called on Americans to boycott products from the nation.
