Following a meeting of the National Security Council, Thresa May agreed on Tuesday that Chinese telecom supplier Huawei will be allowed to supply some “non-core” technology to build Britain’s 5G network, despite security warnings from the US and some of her most senior UK ministers.
The National Security Council meeting of ministers, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, allowed Huawei to supply some “non core” technology, such as antennas, keeping the information passed over it safely.
But several ministers in the meeting raised concerns even about that concession, arguing instead for a total ban on the supplier. Britain’s intelligence agencies have also taken a cautious approach to Huawei, but not called for a blanket ban.
The ban risks agitating both China and the company which is privately owned and comes as concern grows in the UK, US and elsewhere about whether the company’s technology poses a long-term security risk.
Ministers said to have raised concerns about Huawei at the NSC meeting include Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, and Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary.
Jeremy Fleming, the director of spy agency GCHQ, argued last month that the UK needs to understand “the opportunities and threats posed” by Chinese technology.
Jeremy Fleming, the director of spy agency GCHQ, argued last month that the UK needs to understand “the opportunities and threats posed” by Chinese technology.
Other countries have taken a tougher stance. Chinese companies are banned from working on critical telecoms infrastructure in the United States. US Vice-President Mike Pence called on “all our security partners to be vigilant” in February.
The GCHQ spy agency director is expected to promise to increase the agency’s collaboration with the private and public sectors to create “a whole-of-nation, automated cyber-defence system” across the UK.
>Juthy Saha
