China Assures Norway It’s Not a Threat, Denies Cyber Espionage Claims – Reuters

OSLO (Reuters) – The Chinese Embassy criticized a recent Norwegian intelligence report that claimed China poses a security threat to Norway by attempting to steal sensitive information. They described the assessment as “ridiculous” as Norway deliberates the future of Huawei Technologies in the country.

According to Norway’s intelligence service PST, while Russian security services are seen as the most significant threat, China is also engaged in intelligence operations targeting Norwegian entities and businesses, including efforts to infiltrate computer networks.

The embassy stated, “China poses no threat to Norway’s security. It is very ridiculous for the intelligence service of a country to make a security assessment and attack China using purely hypothetical language.”

Huawei has come under global scrutiny due to its perceived connections with the Chinese government and concerns that its technology could be used for espionage, allegations that the company refutes.

The embassy also dismissed remarks from PST’s chief, Benedicte Bjoernland, suggesting that there are reasons to be cautious of Huawei because of its governmental ties, asserting that China does not compel companies to create “mandatory back doors” in their software.

Norway is contemplating whether to follow in the footsteps of other western nations by excluding Huawei Technologies from participating in the development of the country’s new 5G telecommunications framework.

Telenor, Norway’s state-controlled telecommunications operator, entered into its first significant agreement with Huawei in 2009, a move that facilitated the Chinese company’s expansion on a global scale. Telenor serves 173 million subscribers across eight countries in Europe and Asia.