Huawei spied for China says ex CIA chief

HONG KONG: Former Central Intelligence Agency chief Michael Hayden said that at a minimum, Huawei had provided Chinese officials with "intimate and extensive knowledge of the foreign telecommunications systems."

"I think that goes without saying -- it's one reality," he told the Australian Financial Review.

The accusations from Hayden, who also ran the National Security Agency, are the latest in a string of warnings from American officials and congressional committees over the dangers of allowing Huawei to access or build western networks.

But Hayden's warnings are the first to accuse Huawei outright of spying on Beijing's behalf. The former intelligence officer did not provide any details to support his claims, but said that intelligence agencies have accumulated hard evidence.

Hayden currently serves on the board at Motorola Solutions, and is a principal at security consultancy Chertoff Group.