"Huawei offers the best solutions at the best prices," Italian industry minister Stefano Patuanelli said about the Chinese company. His comments on Sunday came after an influential parliamentary committee called on Rome to block the company.

Italy is the third European country with 5G commercial use after Britain and Switzerland. Last week, Italy's parliamentary security committee suggested that the government should consider preventing Huawei and ZTE from taking part in the development of 5G networks. The committee's final report was sent to the Rome parliament on December 12. Although its opinions are not binding on the Italian government, it called on the government to do more to protect the country's domestic 5G networks from "companies with ties to foreign governments" such as Huawei and ZTE.

In recent days, the U.S. government has lobbied EU countries, including Italy, to avoid adopting Huawei's 5G equipment and to scrutinize ZTE, saying the two suppliers could pose a security risk. But Huawei and ZTE have strongly denied the allegations. Huawei stressed in a statement that it was open to working with all Italian government entities and providing all the guarantees needed to help operators roll out 5G networks. Huawei also again dismissed suggestions that its equipment could pose a security risk, saying it was a purely private company and its Italian subsidiary complied with local laws.

Italy's biggest phone group Telecom Italia (TIM) is in the process of choosing suppliers to upgrade its network infrastructure and Huawei is among possible contenders.

"We have passed legislation that guarantees national security. With the right defenses, the possibility of (Huawei's) access is not up for debate," minister Stefano Patuanelli, part of the ruling 5-Star Movement, told La Stampa daily.