Statement from Attorney General William P. Barr Regarding the U.S. Department of State Global CTO Roundtable on 5G Integrated and Open Networks

Attorney General Barr issued the following statement:

“The United States and our partners are in an urgent race against the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to develop and build 5G infrastructure around the world.  Our national security and the flourishing of our liberal democratic values here and around the world depend on our winning it.  Future 5G networks will be a critical piece of global infrastructure, the central nervous system of the global economy.  Unfortunately, the PRC is well on its way to seizing a decisive 5G advantage.  If the PRC wins the 5G race, the geopolitical, economic, and national security consequences will be staggering.

The PRC knows this, which explains why it is using every lever of power to expand its 5G market share around the globe.  The community of free and democratic nations must do the same.

To compete and win against the PRC juggernaut, the United States and its partners must work closely with trusted vendors to pursue practical and realistic strategies that can turn the tide now.  Although the ‘Open RAN’ approach is not a solution to our immediate problem, the concept of Integrated and Open Networks (ION), which was the topic of yesterday’s roundtable, holds promise and should be explored.  We can win the race, but we must act now.”