German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Tuesday for safeguards to ensure Chinese firms do not hand over private data to Beijing amid mounting security concerns over equipment made by telecoms giant Huawei.

Speaking at Keio University in Tokyo, Merkel said there was a "big debate" in Germany about using Huawei equipment, with growing calls to prevent the firm building 5G networks around the world.

Germany has taken a prudent approach so far, with the country's IT watchdog saying it had seen no evidence Huawei could use its equipment to spy for Beijing.

But Merkel said it was necessary to talk to Beijing "to make sure that the company does not simply give up all data that is used to the Chinese state, but that there are safeguards".

Merkel also said safeguards needed to be put in place to ensure that "when you are working in Germany, that the Chinese state cannot access the data on all Chinese products".

Huawei has quietly become a leading supplier of the backbone equipment for mobile networks, particularly in developing markets, thanks to cheaper prices.

But a growing number of Western states are turning their backs on Huawei, fearful that its equipment could be a Trojan horse for Beijing's security apparatus as Chinese laws require its firms to cooperate with intelligence services.

Huawei strenuously denies its equipment could be used for espionage.

"This will continue to be debated and discussed and it is also part of the discussion with the United States," said Merkel.

The chancellor also said China's growing economic clout meant that it had a "growing responsibility for a peaceful world order".

She said Beijing would have to step up its place in the world order -- for example in participating in United Nations missions -- as its clout increased.

Merkel is on a two-day visit to Japan. She has already met Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito, and is expected to hold talks with Japanese and German business leaders later on Tuesday.

China rejects Norway's Huawei suspicions
Oslo (AFP) Feb 5, 2019 - China has brushed off the Norwegian intelligence service PST's warning about Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, saying any espionage fears were "ridiculous".

In its annual national risk assessment report, the PST on Monday singled out countries like China and Russia for trying to spy on the Scandinavian country.

PST director Benedicte Bjornland said there were "close connections between a commercial actor like Huawei and the Chinese regime."

"An actor like Huawei could be subject to influence from its home country as long as China has an intelligence law that requires private individuals, entities and companies to cooperate with China."

The Chinese embassy in Oslo rejected the allegations.

"China poses no threat to Norway's security," it wrote on its website.

"It's very ridiculous for the intelligence service of a country to make (a) security assessment and attack China with pure hypothetical language."

Regarding Huawei, the embassy said "China consistently opposes and combats all forms of cyberespionage and attacks."

"Chinese laws and regulations never give any institution the mandate to force companies to build 'mandatory back doors'," it said.

Several countries like the United States have banned Huawei's equipment to build 5G mobile networks for security reasons.

Norway is considering setting up a regulatory framework to limit its exposure, as its telecom operators prepare to roll out 5G networks.

The two main operators, Telenor and Telia, previously chose Huawei to supply their 4G networks.

The Scandinavian country is treading cautiously on the issue, after China's angry reaction to the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, triggering lengthy diplomatic and trade repercussions from Beijing's side.

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Norway intelligence service issues Huawei warning
Oslo (AFP) Feb 4, 2019
Norway's intelligence service PST on Monday issued a warning about Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, whose ties to Beijing have sparked security concerns. "One has to be attentive about Huawei as an actor and about the close connections between a commercial actor like Huawei and the Chinese regime," the head of Norway's domestic intelligence unit PST, Benedicte Bjornland, said as she presented a national risk assessment report for 2019. "An actor like Huawei could be subject to influence from its h ... read more