COMMENT

PRIME Minister Boris Johnson is expected to reveal ontuesday what part, if any, Chinese telecoms group Huawei can play in Britain’s 5G communications network.

In January, the Government ordered that Huawei’s market share of 5G and fibre-to-thepremises broadband be capped at 35 per cent. It also ordered Huawei to be removed from the most sensitive part of our mobile networks, due to concerns about the company’s alleged ties to the Chinese government.

Mr Johnson will tell MPS this week the results of a review of Huawei’s involvement in our network. It is clear capping its involvement will not work.

The US, our closest ally and key economic partner, believes Huawei is a security risk – which the company denies. If Britain allows Huawei access to our infrastructure,washington and its allies are likely to take a dim view, with potentially serious economic and security repercussions.

Yet if we stop doing business with Huawei, Beijing is likely to retaliate. Billions of pounds of investment could be withdrawn. Also, Beijing could use China’s integral role in the world’s supply chains to squeeze the British economy.

The Huawei situation boils down to who do we side with, the US or China? Either way, we cannot sit on the fence.

● Geoff.ho@express.co.uk