The United States, Australia, and New Zealand, have barred their country’s companies from using the Chinese telecom Huawei to provide the technology for their 5G networks.
Britain, whose telecomm industry is heavily invested in Huawei, has resisted, saying the security problems posed by Huawei technology are manageable. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has put U.S. allies on notice that Washington will not share intelligence with them if they do business with Huawei.
Now Britain has promised to make a decision. The power politics of Huawei are brutal
Gen. Gordon Messenger, vice chief of the British Defence Staff, said in March that his government was “very alive to the risks” of “Made in China” 5G but had to be practical.
“We’re of the view that to simply suggest that one ban outright ban Chinese componentry from any future network that one delivers is, let’s just say, a very tall order,” Messenger said. “There is absolutely the ability to go into this with eyes open, recognizing the risks, recognizing the threats, and understanding the technology in building a 5G network that we can depend on and assure.”
UK digital minister Nicky Morgan told BBC radio:
“We will make the right decision for the UK. I would hope we could do something by the autumn. We’ve got to make sure that this is going to be a decision for the long term, making sure that we keep all our networks secure.”
It sounds like they’re going to go along with the United States.
