Boris defies threats from US with China tech deal
BORIS Johnson defied Donald Trump yesterday by giving the go-ahead to Chinese tech giant Huawei to help build Britain’s 5G telecommunications network.
The Prime Minister said the firm will play a limited role in developing the next generation of mobile phone technology in the UK – despite concerns about its links to China’s communist regime.
The decision followed months of lobbying by officials from President Trump’s White House administration.
Whitehall sources said the Prime Minister decided against a complete ban on Huawei from the 5G network because such a move could cost the economy tens of billions of pounds and delay the productivity-boosting technology by up to five years.
However, in a bid to reduce any potential cyber threat the Government designated Huawei a “high-risk vendor” – banning the company from any involvement in any project linked to security or sensitive data.
Huawei will be barred from locations near nuclear sites and military bases as a result of the move.
“We are clear-eyed about the challenge posed by Huawei,” one source said.
Mr Johnson took the longawaited decision at a meeting of his National Security Council in Downing Street – and told Mr Trump by phone last night.
Referring to the UK’s desire to eventually exclude Huawei involvement, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister underlined the importance of like-minded countries working together to diversify the market and break the dominance of a small number of companies.”
Whitehall officials are braced for the issue to be raised when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo holds talks with the Prime Minister in Downing Street today.
After the news broke in the US last night, Republican and Democrat politicians inWashington called for a review of intelligence sharing arrangements with the UK.
Ministers believe that rolling out 5G across the country is crucial to improving economic performance and addressing the UK’s “productivity gap”.
Security sources insisted the decision will not threaten the UK’s role in the so-called “Five Eyes” intelligence partnership with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Senior officials believe rival tech firms would currently struggle to build on the Huawei technology that is already widespread in the UK’s 4G network.
Announcing the decision to MPs, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Nothing in this review affects this country’s ability to share highly sensitive intelligence data over highly secure networks, both within the UK and with our partners, including the Five Eyes.”
Mr Raab said the Government’s intelligence and security monitoring post GCHQ had “categorically confirmed that how we construct our 5G and full-fibre public networks has nothing to do with how we share classified data”.
Tory backbencher Richard Drax told him: “Bearing in mind we’re under constant cyber attack by China, I’m baffled by its decision today and particularly with 5G.”
Former Cabinet minister Sir Iain Duncan Smith criticised Mr Raab for not mentioning China “as being a threat to us in cyber-security” during his statement.
Speaking on ITV later, he added: “We have a cyber war going on with China, they are constantly trying to break into our systems, they are constantly trying to put misinformation about.
“Therefore it slightly beggars belief that, while we know they are
to mess with our systems as a nation, we’re using an organisation that itself has strong and deep connections to the government in China and therefore is involved also in their secret state apparatus.”
Explaining the Government’s decision, a Whitehall source said: “Huawei will be banned from those parts of the 5G and full-fibre networks that are critical to security.
“It will also be banned from sensitive locations such as nuclear sites and military bases. Huawei will be allowed into the periphery of the network only and then the market share will be capped at 35 per cent.
“Our world-leading cyber-security experts know more about Huawei than any country and are satisfied that, with our approach and tough regulatory regime, any risk can be safely managed.”
The source added: “A market failtrying ure has left us in this position. Excluding Huawei from the UK’s network at this stage would lead to significant delays and extra costs to the consumer.
“We agree with the US and other Five Eyes allies that we must urgently diversify the market and develop alternative suppliers.
“We are working on an ambitious strategy to achieve this. We want to get to a position where we do not have to use a high-risk vendor in our telecommunications network.”
“GCHQ have confirmed categorically that how we construct 5G and full-fibre telecoms networks has nothing to do with how we share classified data.”
Victor Zhang, a vice-president of Huawei, said: “We are reassured by the confirmation that we can continue working with our customers to keep the 5G roll-out on track.”