Huawei defended its global ambitions and network security in the face of Western fears that the Chinese telecom giant could serve as a Trojan horse for Beijing's security apparatus.
Policy News
US indictment halts ambitions of Chinese semiconductor
Chinese semiconductor maker Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co Ltd has been striving to pave the way for “the era of Chinese chips”. However, the Chinese company is facing hurdles notably with the US Justice Department indicting Fujian Jinhua and Taiwan-based United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) for industrial espionage.
China court to block iPhone sales at Qualcomm's request
A Chinese court ordered a ban in the country on iPhone sales in a patent dispute, said US chipmaking giant Qualcomm.
Australia seeks access to encrypted data with controversial legislation
Major tech giants Facebook, Apple, Alphabet and Amazon have expressed opposition against an Australian law that requires them to give authorities access to private encrypted data related to suspected illegal activities, following fears of the increasing risk of terror attacks. The four tech titans will jointly lobby against the proposed bill ahead of a parliamentary vote. If it enters into force, Australia would be one of the first countries to impose such measures.
New Zealand explains the true reason behind Huawei ban
New Zealand denied that telecommunications giant Huawei was banned from a 5G network rollout because it is Chinese, saying the problem it faced was a technological one. Wellington also dismissed suggestions its intelligence services came under pressure from allies in the Five Eyes spy network to bar Huawei amid fears about cybersecurity and its potential links to Beijing.
Hong Kong prepares for first online-only banking licenses
In the preparation for Hong Kong’s granting of first online-only banking licenses, numerous banks, fintechs and telecom firms are lining up to get a piece of Hong Kong’s retail and small business banking market.
Spark - Huawei 5G collaboration hindered by NZ intelligence agency ban
New Zealand's largest telecoms carrier Spark said that the country's intelligence agency had barred it from using equipment provided by China's Huawei in its 5G network as it posed “significant national security risks”. The move follows reports the United States is urging its allies to exclude the Chinese telecoms giant from 5G rollouts over cybersecurity fears.
Dubai, Singapore partner on fintech development
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) entered into a cooperation and referrals agreement between the innovation teams of each authority. The agreement mainly echoes the commitment of both authorities to help design an environment that supports the sustainable development of financial services through emerging technology.
Hong Kong adopts a ‘sandbox’ approach for crypto exchanges
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) CEO Ashley Alder disclosed that the commission will adopt a “sandbox” regulatory regime for crypto exchanges in the Asian financial hub in order to efficiently monitor digital assets and cryptocurrencies.
Qualcomm and Taiwan Fair Trade Commission end dispute over licensing practices
Qualcomm Incorporated announced that it has reached a mutually agreed settlement with the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission (TFTC) resolving the TFTC’s investigation of Qualcomm and Qualcomm’s litigation challenging the TFTC’s decision alleging violations of Taiwan’s Fair Trade Act. As a result, the whole TFTC decision is replaced by the settlement terms and the decision shall be deemed revoked ab initio (from the beginning) and Qualcomm’s litigation filed in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Court is closed.