Myanmar to use Huawei in telecoms sector

03 October 2019
Myanmar to use Huawei in telecoms sector
A Rakhine man rides a rickshaw past a telecommunications tower in Sittwe, Rakhine state. Photo: Nyunt Win/EPA

Myanmar has decided to continue using Chinese telecom equipment giant Huawei as its major partner in developing its lagging telecom sector as the Southeast Asian country gears up for the deployment of the next generation of high-speed mobile communications, RFA reported.

The move comes despite concerns by other countries, including the United States, that Huawei’s gear could be used as a conduit for cyberspying at the behest of China’s ruling Communist Party.

But Myanmar, which is heavily dependent on neighbouring China for its infrastructure development, has taken a different tack when it comes to Huawei. The Chinese firm has captured nearly 30 percent share of the global telecom equipment market and has emerged as the leader in 5G mobile networks and is a top smartphone producer.