China presence in 5G 'concerning' - Soro

(ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - The presence of Chinese firms in Italuy's strategically important 5G sector is "concerning", privacy watchdog chief Antonello Soro said after talks with the parliamentary intelligence oversight body COPASIR Wednesday.
    Cybersecurity threats, he said, "are destined to grow exponentially with the development of 5G, with which the attack surface is amplified in a geometric progression".
    He said "the concern, expressed by us over the previous months, over the presence in this strategic sector of Chinese firms, must be read in this perspective, with information flows that inevitably stem from it".
    In signing up for China's vast infrastructure scheme the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on Saturday, the government stressed that the 5G sector would not be involved.
    Italy is the first Group of Seven member to join the ambitious and controversial initiative.