Former Google CEO claims Huawei undoubtedly spied for Chinese government

Former Google boss Eric Schmidt said that there is ‘no question’ Huawei routed data to Beijing and carried out practices that were not acceptable for national security.

“There’s no question that information from Huawei routers has ultimately ended up in hands that would appear to be the state,” he added. “However that happened, we’re sure it happened.”

The accusations echo the ongoing concerns that Huawei poses risks to national security with US officials worried it would enable Chinese espionage.

US administration officials have put pressure on allies to bar Huawei from accessing the development of the 5G mobile networks.

The firm has repeatedly denied accusations that it passes data to Beijing and insists it’s independent from its government.

Vice President Victor Zhang told the BBC that Schmidt’s suggestions were “simply not true.”

"Huawei is a private company,100% owned by its employees. Huawei is independent from any government, including the Chinese government."

Schmidt, who now chairs the Pentagon’s Defence Innovation Board, said that the West should respond by competing with China and its technologies, rather than disengaging.

He also told the BBC that he had previously underestimated China's ability to innovate.

"I have carried the prejudices about China in my years working with them," he said.

"That they're very good at copying things, that they're very good at organising things, that they throw large numbers of people at it. But they're not going to do anything new. They're very, very good at stealing, if you will, our stuff. Those prejudices need to be thrown out.

"The Chinese are just as good, and maybe better, in key areas of research and innovation as the West.

"They're putting more money into it. They are putting it in a different way, it is state-directed in a way that is different from the West. We need to get our act together to compete."