Security services in the US are considered among the best in the world, yet Brussels has decided against advice from Washington over tech firm Huawei.
The European Commission has backed the Chinese company which will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the 5G wireless technology roll out.
The tech giant has a range of mobile phones and the company’s 5G technology is among the cheapest and most advanced in the world.
Huawei, believed to be in bed with the Chinese state, will be involved in critical networks for decades to come, including cars, energy networks and even pacemakers.
However, warnings are coming thick and fast from intelligence agencies and politicians over how Chinese companies are used to infiltrate other nations and take data back to Beijing.
Philippe Le Corre, a former French government official said: “This is not about shoes.
“This is about giving a foreign company major power over your data.”
Espionage claims have crossed the continent as experts say China could steal Western technology and use Huawei to get access to European personal information.
Anthony Ferrante, global head of cybersecurity at the consultancy FTI, explained how Beijing could use management of data to access anything crossing through its system.
“Network equipment is a backdoor,” he said.
“If governments determine it is okay to use Huawei products, that’s their determination.
“We have to respect that. They see this as a risk they’re willing to take.”
The tech firm has attempted to raise its profile by sponsoring celebrities such as Barcelona soccer player Lionel Messi, and the glamour play has worked on Brussels bigwigs.
And its backing from the EU has been criticised.
Le Core told POLITICO: “It’s been a sad story for their competitors who have little access to the Chinese market and then see this player, with backing of the Chinese government, take over in Europe.”
Europe is the largest market for the company outside of home China.
Private and confidential contracts mean citizens are unaware of how much of Europe’s internet and data runs over Huawei equipment.
The UK is continuing to work with the company despite a parliamentary report in 2013 which stated “the alleged links between Huawei and the Chinese state are concerning, as they generate suspicion as to whether Huawei’s intentions are strictly commercial or are more political.”
In a bid not to lose support the company agreed to set up a hub called “the Cell,” in Banbury, where it can by monitored by officials.
The Cell’s staff members are formally Huawei employees but critics say this is not enough to stop Beijing influencing employees.
A former Chinese military officer, Ren Zhengfei, founded the company in 1987 after years of dedication to the state.
In the US the House of Representatives’ permanent select committee on intelligence that said “China has the means, opportunity and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes.”
As a result Government agencies are banned from using Huawei tech.
The firm itself played down the critics and insisted it would not use subterfuge in any way.
Walter Weigel, vice president of Huawei’s European Research Institute in Munich, Germany said: “It’s mainly from politicians .
“They don’t always have the details — and so they ask these questions.”