<p>The US ambassador in Brasilia warned of "consequences" if Brazil chooses Chinese telecoms company Huawei to develop its 5G network, in an interview published Wednesday.</p>.<p>"I wouldn't say there would be retaliation, but there would be consequences" if Brazil goes against US advice and picks the Chinese firm, Ambassador Todd Chapman told newspaper Globo.</p>.<p>Brazil is due to launch a tender next year for the project to develop the next generation of telecommunications technology in Latin America's most populous country, home to 212 million people.</p>.<p>The United States has been actively lobbying countries worldwide to boycott Huawei, arguing the firm could allow the Chinese government to spy on their data.</p>.<p>"At any time, the Chinese government could ask Huawei to send it information," Chapman said.</p>.<p>"There's no purely American company in the running. I'm not saying this to make a billion dollars. It's a matter of national security."</p>.<p>Other companies that have shown interest in Brazil's 5G tender include Sweden's Ericsson and Finland's Nokia.</p>.<p>Chapman also warned Brazil could scare away foreign investment by contracting a company that the US claims violates intellectual property rights and receives unfair state support that puts its competitors at a disadvantage.</p>.<p>"The US position is to alert our allies and friends, such as Brazil, so they know who they're working with," he said.</p>.<p>Chapman said the United States was prepared to help secure funds through the International Development Finance Corporation, a US government institution, to roll out 5G "for those who buy products from reliable suppliers."</p>.<p>The pressure is putting President Jair Bolsonaro's government in a bind.</p>.<p>Since taking office last year, the far-right leader has cultivated close ties with US President Donald Trump, whom he admires.</p>.<p>But China is Brazil's biggest trading partner.</p>.<p>The row comes amid what many analysts are describing as a "new Cold War" between the US and China.</p>.<p>Britain announced earlier this month it would remove Huawei equipment from its 5G network, bowing to pressure from Washington despite warnings of retaliation from Beijing.</p>
<p>The US ambassador in Brasilia warned of "consequences" if Brazil chooses Chinese telecoms company Huawei to develop its 5G network, in an interview published Wednesday.</p>.<p>"I wouldn't say there would be retaliation, but there would be consequences" if Brazil goes against US advice and picks the Chinese firm, Ambassador Todd Chapman told newspaper Globo.</p>.<p>Brazil is due to launch a tender next year for the project to develop the next generation of telecommunications technology in Latin America's most populous country, home to 212 million people.</p>.<p>The United States has been actively lobbying countries worldwide to boycott Huawei, arguing the firm could allow the Chinese government to spy on their data.</p>.<p>"At any time, the Chinese government could ask Huawei to send it information," Chapman said.</p>.<p>"There's no purely American company in the running. I'm not saying this to make a billion dollars. It's a matter of national security."</p>.<p>Other companies that have shown interest in Brazil's 5G tender include Sweden's Ericsson and Finland's Nokia.</p>.<p>Chapman also warned Brazil could scare away foreign investment by contracting a company that the US claims violates intellectual property rights and receives unfair state support that puts its competitors at a disadvantage.</p>.<p>"The US position is to alert our allies and friends, such as Brazil, so they know who they're working with," he said.</p>.<p>Chapman said the United States was prepared to help secure funds through the International Development Finance Corporation, a US government institution, to roll out 5G "for those who buy products from reliable suppliers."</p>.<p>The pressure is putting President Jair Bolsonaro's government in a bind.</p>.<p>Since taking office last year, the far-right leader has cultivated close ties with US President Donald Trump, whom he admires.</p>.<p>But China is Brazil's biggest trading partner.</p>.<p>The row comes amid what many analysts are describing as a "new Cold War" between the US and China.</p>.<p>Britain announced earlier this month it would remove Huawei equipment from its 5G network, bowing to pressure from Washington despite warnings of retaliation from Beijing.</p>