Britain has ordered Chinese telecoms giant, Huawei to supply equipment for the UK 5G data network despite warning of security risk.
The government is seeking a middle way in a bitter dispute between the United States and China over the next generation of communications technology.
Huawei, the world’s biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. Huawei has categorically denied this.
The head of Britain’s GCHQ spy agency said that the suitability of companies to supply equipment for the United Kingdom’s 5G telecoms systems depended more on their security and engineering processes rather than where they were based.
Jeremy Fleming’s comments came after a British security source said that Britain would allow Chinese firm Huawei access to non-core parts of its 5G network, but block it from all core parts of the system.
Fleming said that Britain’s policy approach for 5G security was being concluded and that it would be announced soon.
