Chinese telecoms equipment firm Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has done a poor job communicating about itself and in trying to dispel myths surrounding the company, the chairman of its Australian business, a retired admiral, said on Wednesday.

Australia has blocked Huawei from tendering for contracts in its $38 billion high-speed broadband network, citing security concerns, and a U.S. Congress committee has urged U.S. firms to stop doing business with Huawei, also on security concerns.

"We sincerely hope that in Australia, we do not allow sober debate on cyber security to become distorted the way it has in the U.S.," Huawei Australia Chairman John Lord said in a speech in Canberra, adding that the company proposed to set up a cyber security evaluation center in Australia.

(Reporting By Maggie Lu Yueyang; Editing by Mark Bendeich)