The United States is stepping up pressure on countries that continue to do business with China's telecommunications giant, Huawei.
Kim Hyo-sun tells us more.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who's visiting Eastern Europe,... has warned European countries... that using Huawei equipment could hurt their relationship with Washington.
Speaking in Hungary,... the first leg of his five-nation European tour,... Pompeo said the U.S. could scale down certain operations in the country if it continues to do business with Huawei.
He also said in Slovakia that the U.S. has an obligation to alert its partners of the risks associated with products made by the Chinese telecommunications giant.

"We want to make sure that our friends and allies, out NATO partners, those that are inside of the EU, we want to make sure that they're aware of those risks and that's our task."

The U.S. is increasingly troubled with Huawei's expansion in Europe,... where Washington believes the company poses significant information security threats.
However, such pressure faces challenges,... as eastern European countries like Hungary have no other choice but to continue using Huawei equipment,... due mainly to their economic relationship with Beijing.
Unsurprisingly,... China has slammed Washington's move.

"The U.S. behavior is neither just nor moral, which is not the proper manner that a major country is supposed to have."

Yet, Beijing said it appreciated Hungary's just and objective stance in dealing with the issue,... adding their bilateral ties will not be disturbed by any other countries.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.