London: British Prime Minister Theresa May has given the go-ahead for China’s Huawei to help build a 5G network, shrugging off security warnings from senior ministers and Washington, the Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday. The country’s National Security Council, which is chaired by May, agreed Tuesday to allow the Chinese technology giant limited access to build “noncore” infrastructure such as antennas, the report said.
The decision was made despite concerns raised over May’s approach by Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt.
Downing Street declined to comment on the newspaper report. The United States has banned Huawei’s 5G technology from its territory and has urged allies in the so-called Five Eyes intelligence sharing collective — which also includes Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand — to follow suit.
Huawei is the leading manufacturer of equipment for next-generation 5G mobile networks with almost instantaneous data transfer that will become the nervous system of Europe’s economy, in strategic sectors like energy, transport, banking and health care.
However, the technology titan faces pushback in some Western markets over fears Beijing could spy on communications and gain access to critical infrastructure. Last month, Britain identified “significant technological issues” in Huawei’s engineering processes that pose “new risks” for the nation’s telecommunications, according to a government report.