WASHINGTON – A group of leading national security senators today sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, urging him to use an upcoming meeting of the G7 to forge a partnership of like-minded allies to compete with China in the development of fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology.  Signed by Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, the letter calls on the Trump Administration to lead an international effort to develop a secure 5G architecture challenging Huawei’s monopoly over the next generation of telecoms networks. 

“As we prepare for G-20 in Japan later this year, this meeting provides a critical opportunity for the United States to lead in the development of an international consortium of like-minded nations to develop a safe, secure, and economically viable alternative to the 5G architecture of firms, like Huawei,” wrote the Senators.  

The informal May 16^th meeting of the G7 will focus on, “strategy of the G7 at the advent of the data economy and the need to build trust in digital technologies such as 5G.” In their letter, the senators suggest the U.S. must not just confront but also effectively compete with China by leading a public-private consortium of U.S., European, Japanese, Korean and others in an effort to create 5G architecture that meets mutual safety goals and does not pose a risk for national security.  

“Separate and alone, competition with China’s state-directed authoritarian model is challenging. Together, our economies represent the vast majority of the world’s most productive and innovative assets. It’s important that this next generation of technologies is shaped by the values of the U.S. and our allies around openness, pluralism, fair competition, and security,” added the senators. “We look forward to your thoughts and ideas for how you intend to take advantage of this meeting to forge an international effort not merely to confront China, but to effectively compete to develop 5G architecture.”

A copy of the letter can be found here and below:

The Honorable Mike Pompeo

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

2201 C Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Mr. Secretary,

On May 16^th, France will host an informal G-7 “Digital Ministers” meeting to explore strategy and partnership in the G-7 on “Tech for Humanity,” including “strategy of the G-7 at the advent of the data economy and the need to build trust in digital technologies such as 5G.”  

As we prepare for G-20 in Japan later this year, this meeting provides a critical opportunity for the United States to lead in the development of an international consortium of like-minded nations to develop a safe, secure, and economically viable alternative to the 5G architecture of firms, like Huawei, that are subject to extra-judicial demands of foreign governments. 

As you know, we share many of the concerns you have raised about Huawei’s efforts to dominate global 5G architecture, including the risk created for espionage, and the risks to privacy, security, our military, and our economic competitiveness.

But it is not enough to simply confront China. Working with our allies, we must also be able to compete – and win.  Fifth-generation wireless (5G) telecommunications technology stands poised to offer not just a simple step-change as with previous generations of cellular telecommunications technology, but to fundamentally re-write the rule book for economic and social organization, and even our politics, with a new generation of responsive and diversified services. 

Yet the fact of the matter is that as things stand today, neither the United States nor our allies and partners are making comparable capital investments or commitments to research and development that match what China and Huawei are devoting to this critical next generation data governance architecture.

However, if the United States were to take a leadership role in forging a new approach with our G-7 and other like-minded partners to bring together a public-private consortium of the best of US, European, Japanese, Korean and others efforts, we are convinced that in short order we can create 5G architecture that meets our common goals for trusted, safe and secure 5G. 

We are currently living through a digital transformation of society and of the economy that is as significant as any in human experience.  It is creating both opportunities and challenges, including, immediately, that of Huawei’s efforts to set the standards and architecture for 5G. This is mirrored more broadly in China’s wider efforts to unduly shape the development of key emerging technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and life sciences.  

In the face of this challenge, the United States must stand at the forefront of the development of new global governance models, based on open and secure standards and principles -- and to do so with our allies and partners.  Separate and alone, competition with China’s state-directed authoritarian model is challenging.  Together, our economies represent the vast majority of the world’s most productive and innovative assets.  It’s important that this next generation of technologies is shaped by the values of the U.S. and our allies around openness, pluralism, fair competition, and security.