Q&A

Theresa May appears to have given the green light to Huawei of China to help build a 5G mobile network. The National Security Council, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, agreed on Tuesday to grant the firm access to build ‘non-core’ infrastructure such as antennas. This is supposed to minimise security risks because Huawei would not supply ‘core’ equipment.

Fifth-generation mobile broadband would offer download and browsing speeds up to 20 times faster than current 4G networks. Huawei leads the field in 5G infrastructure and in pricing and the UK does not want to miss out.

What could go wrong?

If Huawei controls the technology that sits at the heart of vital communications networks then in theory it has the capacity to conduct espionage or disrupt communications. This is a worry because the telecoms giant has close ties to the Chinese state. Beijing has a history of censorship and surveillance and compels firms to ‘support, co-operate with and collaborate in national intelligence work’. Washington has repeatedly accused China of cyber-attacks on various targets such as the US Navy. CIA intelligence claims Huawei has taken money from the People’s Liberation Army, China’s National Security Commission and another branch of the Chinese state intelligence network. In January, a Huawei employee working on 5G services was arrested in Poland on suspicion of spying, along with a Polish intelligence officer. Huawei later sacked the employee, named as Wang Weijing, saying he had acted on his own and brought the firm into disrepute.

Is intelligence-sharing with other countries at risk?

The UK is a member of the world’s leading intelligence-sharing network – the Five Eyes alliance – along with the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Crucially, Washington has told allies not to use Huawei’s technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spy operations. New Zealand has barred one of its mobile networks from using Huawei’s 5G equipment while it continues to evaluate the risks involved. Canada is still on the fence. Britain’s compromise could provide a template for other Western nations to follow as they try to navigate the row between Beijing and Washington. This

What is the issue? What is 5G technology?

month Germany said it would not exclude Huawei from the auction to build its 5G network.

Could it jeopardise security ties with the US?

Washington has warned of potential repercussions. US officials say they do not believe there is a distinction between ‘core’ and ‘non-core’ elements of a 5G network – and all components present a potential risk. Robert Strayer, a State Department ambassador and top cyber-security official, told the BBC: ‘It would be very difficult for the US to share information the way we have in the past if we are having to rely on unsecure networks. As Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said – if the risk exceeds the threshold for the United States, we simply won’t be able to share that information.’ If this threat is acted on, it would be a huge blow for Britain’s ‘special relationship’ with the US, but such a claim has been met with scepticism. Some experts are not convinced that Washington would really stop sharing intelligence with such a trusted partner. British intelligence agents say Huawei technology would not be in any sensitive networks so there would be no impact on the way they share information with their American counterparts.