U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a warning to Italy over its economic relations with China in this October.
Pompeo also described Chinese mobile telecoms technology as a threat to the national security of Italy and the privacy of its citizens.
The U.S. also urges the Italian government to consider carefully the risks to its national security.
And the privacy of its citizens presented by technology companies with ties to the Chinese Community Party.
Di Maio said the Italians were aware of U.S. concerns over Chinese 5G technology.
And “fully realize the responsibility faced by every country when dealing with security”.
The 5G Network
U.S. attention has focused particularly on Huawei Technologies, the world’s biggest telecoms equipment maker.
Washington has told its European allies the Chinese firm poses a security threat.
Noting that Chinese citizens and companies must by law aid the state in intelligence gathering.
Huawei has denied it poses a risk.
The head of its Italian unit said on Wednesday it was ready for any scrutiny to show that its technology was safe.
“We will open our insides, we are available to be vivisected to respond to all of this political pressure,” Luigi De Vecchi’s told a conference in Rome.
While some U.S. allies, such as Britain, have announced bans on Huawei equipment in future telecoms infrastructure.
Italy has so far declined to do so.
However, the company was recently excluded from one major tender and a senior government official has told Reuters the state was ready to impose tougher rules in deals involving the Chinese firm.
