"I don't think they can help themselves," Yablon said. "The profit motive is too great."
He pointed out that it's not just Chinese execs who have previously resisted sales to forbidden clients, citing Swedish firm
Ericsson and its admission it paid off ISIS terrorists to secure sales.
Yablon has penned a book about his experiences at ZTE. It details several instances when ZTE execs and lawyers stated that they saw laws as suggestions, not ironclad rules. He fears that mindset has not changed, and may be used to justify sales to Russia.
In addition, he feels that Chinese firms use their voluminous patent portfolios – a sign they've followed the rules – as "some kind of force field" against the
many assertions that Chinese companies misappropriate and misuse other companies' intellectual property.
He also feels America's
decision this month to end the probation imposed on ZTE for its Iran sales and other actions may embolden the company to commit further transgressions. Yablon thinks that decision – which came from the judiciary, not Washington – could therefore be a mistake.
Yablon's book also alleges that ZTE kit has backdoors. But in conversation with
The Register he added his belief that all networking kit, from all vendors – Chinese or otherwise – allows covert access, whether intended or not.
demokraatti.fi
www.iltalehti.fi
ecfr.eu
