LONDON: Britain was on Tuesday to approve a role for China’s Huawei in developing its 5G telecoms network — but in a limited capacity after heavy US opposition on security grounds, reports said.
“The UK has a momentous decision ahead on 5G,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted on Sunday as Washington continued to heap pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson up to the last minute in urging a complete sidelining of Huawei.
However a senior UK official last week strongly hinted at a green light for Huawei, while the Financial Times over the weekend reported that Johnson was on Tuesday “expected to approve a restricted role”. The Business Daily said UK ministers were looking to impose a cap on Huawei’s market share in the project.
There has meanwhile been widespread speculation that Britain would allow Huawei into “non-core” elements of 5G networks, such as antennae and base stations attached to masts and roofs.
The United States has banned Huawei from the rollout of its next generation 5G mobile networks because of concerns — strongly denied — that the firm could be under the control of Beijing.
US has been lobbying Britain to do the same, even threatening to limit intelligence sharing between the two allies should the UK go its own way. — AFP
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