Thune Touts Network Security Trade Act, Wants Huawei 'Out of' Allies' Networks

Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., touted his Network Security Trade Act Wednesday in a floor speech urging the U.K. and other countries to “reject” use of “suspect” equipment from Chinese manufacturer Huawei. At a Tuesday U.K. House of Commons Defense Select Committee, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and others urged the U.K. to rethink allowing Huawei on “non-core” parts of communications infrastructure (see 2006020061). “We should be using trade agreements to push for enhanced network security globally,” as S-3994 proposes, Thune said Wednesday. The bill would update the 2015 Trade Promotion Authority law "to include a negotiating objective related to the security of communications networks” (see 2003050067). “We recently opened negotiations on a new trade deal with” the U.K. and “I’m pleased that it now looks like” that country is “reconsidering” Huawei, Thune said.