Huawei to develop 5G with Russian firm

The deal was signed in Moscow, as Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin looked on

Huawei Technologies has signed an agreement with Russian telecom company MTS to develop next-generation 5G networks and cooperate on Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband and IoT use cases.

The deal was signed on Wednesday in Moscow, as Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin looked on.

China has been championing Huawei, the world’s biggest telecoms gear provider, as a national star as the company fights US pressure on many countries to exclude it from new 5G networks.

US officials say Huawei is a security risk.

MTS said in a statement that it plans to work with Huawei on developing 5G technologies.

Mr Xi is on a state visit to Russia as the two countries grow increasingly close while each contends with friction with the US.

He will also attend a major investment conference in St Petersburg on Friday.

“We are very pleased to conclude a new agreement with MTS, especially in such a strategically important area as the development of 5G,” said Huawei chairman Gou Ping. “The fact that the ceremony was attended by the President of Russia and the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China once again proves how important partnership for technology is for Russia and China.”