The United States is pressuring Damascus to refrain from importing Chinese-made technology equipment, citing security concerns and what it views as risks to US national security and interests.
Reuters reported on Thursday, February 26, citing three unnamed sources familiar with the matter, that Washington warned Damascus against relying on Chinese technology in its telecommunications sector.
The warning came during a meeting that was not publicly disclosed, held in San Francisco on February 24 between Syrian Minister of Communications Abdul Salam Haykal and officials from the US State Department.
According to a Syrian businessman involved in the talks, Syria is considering purchasing Chinese technology to support telecom towers and the infrastructure of local internet service providers.
A source familiar with the discussions told Reuters the US side requested clarification on the ministry’s plans regarding Chinese telecommunications equipment.
A US diplomat briefed on the talks said the State Department urged Syrian officials to use American technology or equipment from allied countries in the telecommunications sector. It remains unclear whether Washington offered any financial or logistical support to facilitate such a shift.
The State Department told Reuters that Washington urges countries to prioritize national security and privacy over lower cost equipment and services in all critical infrastructure procurement.
A spokesperson added that Chinese intelligence and security services can legally compel Chinese citizens and companies to share sensitive data or grant unauthorized access to clients’ systems. Promises by Chinese firms to protect customer privacy “are completely inconsistent with China’s laws and established practices,” the spokesperson said.
Syria’s Ministry of Communications, for its part, told Reuters that decisions related to telecom equipment and infrastructure are made in line with national technical and security standards, ensuring data protection and service continuity.
The ministry added that it also prioritizes diversifying partnerships and technology sources to serve the national interest.
Promises to revive a struggling sector
The Syrian Ministry of Communications has repeatedly pledged to improve the country’s deteriorating telecommunications sector, launching several reform projects. However, these initiatives have yet to translate into tangible improvements on the ground.
Since the early months following the fall of the former regime, a series of projects described as “strategic” have been announced, including plans to modernize fixed line infrastructure, expand 4G networks, and launch initial 5G trials. The ministry also signed memoranda of understanding with regional technology companies and organized local conferences on digital transformation and network management.
Over the past year, Syrians have followed optimistic statements about anticipated investments, sector restructuring plans, and promises to redistribute frequency spectrum and improve service quality through what officials described as an “integrated national telecommunications system.”
Recently, Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a series of new economic agreements, headlined by a major telecommunications deal worth nearly one billion dollars under a project called “SilkLink.”
The project aims to modernize Syria’s digital infrastructure and connect it regionally and internationally through a fiber optic network spanning more than 4,500 kilometers.
Syria’s two telecom operators, Syriatel and MTN, currently rely on Chinese equipment. Huawei equipment accounts for more than 50% of both companies’ infrastructure, Reuters reported, citing a senior source at one of the companies and documents it reviewed.
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