〔編譯陳維真／綜合報導〕美國眾議院情報委員會八日發表報告，警告美國企業應避免和中國的通訊企業「華為」及「中興」有業務往來，因為這兩家企業與中國政府的關係，會對美國的國家安全構成威脅。
情報委員會根據長達十一個月的調查，完成這個報告。報告表示，「根據可用的機密與非機密資訊，不能信任華為與中興可不受外國政府影響，因此華為與中興對美國與美國的系統造成威脅」，「中國有能力、有機會以及有動機使用通訊公司，達到惡意目的。」報告還建議，美國政府應該阻擋華為以及中興在美國的商業併購案，也要避免採購帶有華為以及中興公司產品的設備，以免遭間諜侵害。報告中指出，兩間公司都無法就公司與中國政府的關係，以及在美的營運狀況有完整的答覆。特別是華為公司對企業組織、公司沿革、歷史、財務安排與管理都無法給予完整的資訊。儘管如此不能證實公司有何非法行為，但會影響委員會的決定。
指控華為與中國網軍往來
華為與中興均否認受到中國軍方資助。不過委員會表示，華為離職員工提供公司內部文件指出，華為提供特別的網路服務給解放軍的菁英網路戰爭部隊。
委員會警告，中國製造的通訊零件與系統中的惡意軟體或硬體，可讓北京在戰爭的關鍵時刻關閉或降低國安系統的安全。報告中指出，委員會從產業專家與華為現任與離職員工取得資料，顯示華為可能涉及賄賂、貪污、歧視行為、違反著作權，委員會計畫將這些指控轉交給美國司法部與國土安全部，以進行後續調查。
華為、中興雙雙喊冤
分析家指出，眾院情報委員會在美國總統大選進入白熱化階段之際發表報告，不管是歐巴馬還是羅尼，都會以此做為理論依據，開展對中國的攻擊，以贏取美國選民支持。華為發言人普魯門否任委員會的指控，批委員會只是想轉移注意力。中興也表示「深深的不同意」委員會的指控。
華為是全球第二大電信設備供應商，中興通訊排名第五，這項報告恐怕將打擊華為與中興在美國擴展業務的計畫。中國外交部發言人洪磊表示，中國電信企業在美國投資，實現中美關係共贏的性質，希望美國尊重事實、摒棄偏見。
WASHINGTON (AP) -- American companies should avoid doing business with China's two leading technology firms because they pose a national security threat to the United States, the House Intelligence Committee is warning in a report to be issued Monday.
The panel says U.S. regulators should block mergers and acquisitions in this country by Huawei Technologies Ltd. and ZTE Corp, among the world's leading suppliers of telecommunications gear and mobile phones.
Reflecting U.S. concern over cyber-attacks traced to China, the report also recommends that U.S. government computer systems not include any components from the two firms because that could pose an espionage risk.
"China has the means, opportunity, and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes," the report says.
The recommendations are the result of a yearlong probe, including a congressional hearing last month in which senior Chinese executives of both companies testified, and denied posing a security threat.
A U.S. executive of one of the companies said the firm cooperated with investigators, and defended its business record. Huawei is a "globally trusted and respected company," said William Plummer, vice president for external affairs.
On Monday, ahead of the report's release, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said investment by China's telecommunications companies in the United States showed the countries have mutually beneficial relations.
"We hope the U.S. will do more to benefit the interests of the two countries, not the opposite," said spokesman Hong Lei at a regular briefing.
The bipartisan report is likely to become fodder for a presidential campaign in which the candidates have been competing in their readiness to clamp down on Chinese trade violations. Republican Mitt Romney, in particular, has made it a key point to get tougher on China by designating it a currency manipulator and fighting abuses such as intellectual property theft.
The committee made the draft available to reporters in advance of public release Monday, but only under the condition that they not publish stories until the broadcast Sunday of a CBS' "60 Minutes" report on Huawei. In the CBS report, the committee's chairman, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., urges American companies not to do business with Huawei.
The panel's recommendations will likely hamper Huawei and ZTE's ambitions to expand their business in America. Their products are used in scores of countries, including in the West. Both deny being influenced by China's communist government.
"The investigation concludes that the risks associated with Huawei's and ZTE's provision of equipment to U.S. critical infrastructure could undermine core U.S. national-security interests," the report says.
The report says the committee received information from industry experts and current and former Huawei employees suggesting that Huawei, in particular, may be violating U.S. laws. It says that the committee will refer the allegations to the U.S. government for further review and possible investigation. The report mentions allegations of immigration violations, bribery and corruption, and of a "pattern and practice" of Huawei using pirated software in its U.S. facilities.
Huawei is a private company founded by a former Chinese military engineer, and has grown rapidly to become the world's second largest supplier of telecommunications network gear, operating in more than 140 countries. ZTE Corp is the world's fourth largest mobile phone manufacturer, with 90,000 employees worldwide. While their business in selling mobile devices has grown in the U.S., espionage fears have limited the companies from moving into network infrastructure.
The report says the companies failed to provide responsive answers about their relationships and support by the Chinese government, and detailed information about their operations in the U.S. It says Huawei, in particular, failed to provide thorough information, including on its corporate structure, history, financial arrangements and management.
"The committee finds that the companies failed to provide evidence that would satisfy any fair and full investigation. Although this alone does not prove wrongdoing, it factors into the committee's conclusions," it says.
In Washington, Huawei executive Plummer said Friday the company cooperated in good faith with the investigation, which he said had not been objective and amounted to a "political distraction" from cyber-security problems facing the entire industry.
All major telecommunications firms, including those in the West, develop and manufacture equipment in China and overlapping supply chains require industry-wide solutions, he added. Singling out China-based firms wouldn't help.
Plummer complained that the volume of information sought by the committee was unreasonable, and it had demanded some proprietary business information that "no responsible company" would provide.
In justifying its scrutiny of the Chinese companies, the committee contended that Chinese intelligence services, as well as private companies and other entities, often recruit those with direct access to corporate networks to steal trade secrets and other sensitive proprietary data.
It warned that malicious hardware or software implants in Chinese-manufactured telecommunications components and systems headed for U.S. customers could allow Beijing to shut down or degrade critical national security systems in a time of crisis or war.
The committee concluded that Huawei likely has substantially benefited from the support of the Chinese government.
Huawei denies being financed to undertake research and development for the Chinese military, but the committee says it has received internal Huawei documentation from former employees showing the company provides special network services to an entity alleged to be an elite cyber-warfare unit within the People's Liberation Army.
The intelligence committee recommended that the government's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, bar mergers and acquisitions by both Huawei and ZTE. A multi-agency regulatory panel chaired by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, CFIUS screens foreign investment proposals for potential national security threats.
Last year, Huawei had to unwind its purchase of a U.S. computer company, 3Leaf Systems, after it failed to win CFIUS approval. However, Huawei employs 1,700 people in the U.S., and business is expanding. U.S. revenues rose to $1.3 billion in 2011, up from $765 million in 2010.
ZTE has also enjoyed growth in its sale of mobile devices, although in recent months it has faced allegations about banned sales of U.S.-sanctioned computer equipment to Iran. The FBI is probing reports that the company obstructed a U.S. Commerce Department investigation into the sales.
The intelligence panel says ZTE refused to provide any documents on its activities in Iran, but did provide a list of 19 individuals who serve on the Chinese Communist Party committee within the company. ZTE's citing of China's state secrecy laws for limiting information it could release only added to concern over Chinese government influence over its operations, the report says.
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AP researcher Zhao Liang in Beijing contributed
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