Anti-Huawei Republicans Have ‘Nerve’ to Call Others ‘Thieves’: Chinese

The Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry took a hard line on a letter that 13 House Commerce Committee Republicans sent Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Thursday seeking DOT information on reports that U.S. officials approved licensing applications for Huawei to buy U.S. semiconductors for China’s next-generation autonomous vehicles. The GOP members asked Buttigieg to respond by Sept. 23 to a dozen questions about the reports, including whether he’s concerned that Huawei is looking for a U.S. “foothold” to steal information on Americans and gather intelligence on the U.S. “transportation infrastructure.” The 13 “thieving” U.S. politicians “have the nerve to call others thieves,” responded the ministry spokesperson Friday. “When it comes to stealing and gathering information, the U.S. is the true world champion.” Huawei has “openly announced” to the world “its readiness to sign no-backdoor agreements and to launch cybersecurity assessment centers in any country to receive external testing,” he said. “I wonder if U.S. companies dare to do the same.” DOT didn’t respond to questions.