31st Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Telecom/Infrastructure

Hon. Pavel Popescu emphasized that telecommunications infrastructure is central to national security, economic competitiveness, and democratic resilience. He warned that rapid technological shifts including AI, 5G/6G, and satellite communications are transforming the global landscape, requiring urgent transatlantic cooperation between the United States and Europe. He highlighted China’s expanding influence in telecom and space sectors through companies like Huawei and ZTE, cautioning that embedded vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure pose risks of espionage, data theft, and economic coercion. He urged the U.S. and Europe to reduce political friction, reset their partnership, and align policies to counter Chinese dominance in global standards-setting bodies and supply chains.

Popescu presented Romania as a model, noting its 2019 memorandum with the United States, 2021 legislation restricting Chinese 5G vendors, and upcoming measures to ensure all core telecom infrastructure is free of Chinese equipment by 2026. He advocated extending similar safeguards to 6G and AI technologies.

He concluded by calling for stronger U.S.-EU collaboration, reduced regulatory burdens, increased investment in secure networks, and unified action to protect democratic values, technological leadership, and global competitiveness.