China Criticizes Former Australian Prime Minister's Comments About Huawei

China criticized comments from Australia’s former prime minister about Huawei after he suggested Britain follow the U.S. and Australia's lead and also ban products of the Chinese tech giant. The comments were “a blatant discrimination against Chinese companies,” a China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said during a Sept. 12 press conference, according to a transcript in English provided by the Chinese Embassy in Washington. “Australia has also been lecturing other countries about the 5G network and encouraging them to follow suit. Such disgraceful and immoral conduct is against basic market principles and international rules, which China firmly opposes.”

The spokeswoman warned Australia to end the comments. “We advise some in Australia to not overstep their bounds, to not go further astray on their wrong path, and to stop doing such things that hurt the interests of Australia itself and others,” the spokeswoman said.

Earlier this month, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said it is important for the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia to adopt “a common approach” against Huawei and ban the company’s products and networks, according to a report that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald.