Huawei and Microsoft are looking to take some political heat out of telecoms procurement.

The two firms joined non profit The EastWest Institute in releasing a buyer’s guide for cybersecurity, in an attempt to allay fears among corporates and governments.

The document is billed as being a “breakthrough resource” intended for any organisation interested in acquiring more secure IT and telecoms products and services.

The idea is to provide “structure for conversations” between buyers and suppliers, enabling organisations to manage the risk they face from cybersecurity vulnerabilities in commercial products and services they deploy.

Microsoft and Huawei are joined by The EastWest Institute, which compiled the guide, as well as The Open Group in a so-called breakthrough group which worked on the document. The Open Group includes tech vendors and buyers, including government agencies.

Microsoft was represented by Angela McKay, its cybersecurity policy and strategy director, and Huawei by Andy Purdy, chief security officer of its US unit.

“If we simply think about the countries of origin (of technology vendors), we are not going to protect ourselves adequately,” Purdy (pictured) told The Wall Street Journal in an interview.

Huawei has found its access to the US telecoms equipment market restricted in recent years because of concerns expressed by the US government that it might offer a back door for hackers working for the Chinese intelligence services.

For its part, Microsoft has had difficulties in the Chinese market but of a different bent. It has been the subject of antitrust inquiries by Chinese regulators.