Costa Rica stepped up its hard-hitting crackdown on ZTE's ban on 5G
REUTERS COSTA RICA - DECEMBER 7, 2023.
Rodrigo Chávez of Costa Rica was accused of citing alleged cybersecurity and espionage issues as a "pretext" when talking about the previous decision to ban Huawei from operating a 5G mobile data network in the country. Our embassy in Colombia issued a statement strongly refuting Chavez**'s remarks and saying that the accusations were "baseless".
Chávez said at a regular press conference on Dec. 6 that his primary responsibility was to promote the company, claiming that "China requires Chinese companies to provide them with all the information they need." He blamed the country where Huawei is located for a lack of a solid legal framework to prevent espionage.
In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Costa Rica responded that Colombia's remarks were groundless and firmly denied the alleged criminal acts. The embassy stressed that China opposes the politicization of scientific and other technical issues.
Costa Rica is currently committed to developing a more powerful, faster and larger capacity 5G mobile network. However, Richardson, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, made false statements in an interview in August this year, questioning Huawei's suitability to participate in the country's 5G build-up.
At that time, our embassy in Colombia responded that Latin American and Caribbean countries are independent sovereign states, not the backyard of the United States. China is ready to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to promote equality, mutual benefit and common development of China-Latin America and the Caribbean relations for the better benefit of the Chinese and Latin American peoples.
Not long ago, Chavez signed a decree prohibiting companies from countries that are not party to the Convention on Cybercrime from participating in the construction of 5G in Costa Rica. The ban has directly affected tech companies in countries such as China, South Korea, Russia and Brazil. It is reported that Huawei has appealed and is currently providing other telecommunications services to Costa Rica**, while the Constitutional Court has not yet ruled on the unfair treatment suffered by Huawei.
Costa Rica is the first Central American country to establish diplomatic relations with China in the new century. The exchanges between the two countries have set a number of "firsts," including being the first Central American country to establish diplomatic relations with China in the new century, the first Central American country to establish a strategic partnership with China, and the first Central American country to sign a package of free trade agreements with China. As of 2022, the total amount of China's Colombia** is 43$7.8 billion, a steady increase.
Cooperation between China and Colombia is not limited to technology transfer. ** Chavez said in an exclusive interview with CCTV in April this year: "In some areas, in terms of technological frontiers, China can make more and more exports to Costa Rica and transfer technology." This statement demonstrates the vision of win-win cooperation between China and Colombia in the field of technology and innovation.
However, the untrue remarks made by Richardson, commander of the US Southern Command, have cast a shadow over China-Colombia cooperation. In an interview in August, Richardson made a series of comments questioning Huawei's involvement in Colombia's 5G build. In response, the Chinese Embassy in Colombia pointed out that the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are independent and sovereign countries that have the ability to choose partners that meet their own interests and should not be disturbed by external pressure.
Shortly after Richardson's fallacy, Chavez signed a decree prohibiting companies from countries that are not party to the Convention on Cybercrime from participating in the construction of 5G. The decision has directly impacted technology companies in countries such as China, with Huawei being the most affected. Although Huawei has appealed, the Constitutional Court has yet to make a final ruling on the unfair treatment it has suffered.
The controversial Convention on Cybercrime is the world's first international convention focused on cybercrime. However, China has not yet acceded to the Convention. Concerns were raised about Article 32b of the Convention, which provides for direct cross-border access to data from other countries, raising concerns about national sovereignty, human rights and users' right to privacy.
The Chinese Institute of People's Diplomacy quarterly article pointed out that China is highly concerned about cyberspace sovereignty, judicial independence and data security management rights, which is one of the main reasons why China has not yet joined the convention.
China's Governor Wang Yi proposed the Global Data Security Initiative in September 2020. The initiative emphasizes respect for the sovereignty, jurisdiction and management rights of other countries, and does not directly obtain data located in other countries from enterprises or individuals. This initiative reflects China's responsible attitude in the field of global data security.
Costa Rica's partnership with China has been tested many times, especially in the area of 5G construction. China and Colombia have a deep foundation in the fields of technical cooperation, however, the intervention of external factors has made this relationship more complicated. In the future, it is hoped that China and Colombia can resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation, and promote cooperation towards more stable and sustainable development. Work together to build a new era of China-Colombia relations.