Hong Kong (CNN Business) Vodafone is putting Huawei on hold.

The world's second largest mobile operator said Friday that it is pausing the installation of Huawei equipment in its core networks in Europe, given the political uncertainty surrounding the Chinese telecoms firm.

It is just the latest blow for Huawei, which is facing heightened scrutiny as a growing number of governments express concern that its technology could be used by Chinese spies.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand have restricted the use of the company's products in their 5G networks, citing national security risks. Germany and Canada are considering similar measures.

Huawei maintains that its products do not pose a security risk, and that it has no ties to the Chinese government.

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