The UK government has started a new review of Huawei in response to action taken by the U.S. against the company.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is reviewing Huawei’s role in the UK’s 5G networks, which comes at a difficult moment as relations between the UK and China are strained following the pandemic.
The U.S. has also announced additional sanctions against Huawei and has lobbied the UK and other countries to remove the Chinese firm’s technology from 5G networks, citing security concerns.
However, unlike the U.S., Britain has so far resisted a total ban of Huawei and instead approved a more limited role that would still allow it access to the UK’s 5G market.
There is considerable concern over Huawei however the company’s founder has said that he would shut it down if it was used for “spying activities” and denied that it would even comply with a request from the Chinese government to attack a client.
While there is no clear indication that Huawei poses a risk to Britain’s 5G network, the rollout of 5G has been a sensitive subject between close allies, with the U.S. particularly concerned. The concern is also shared among many MPs, but there is division over the subject – and what role Huawei will eventually play in the 5G telecoms market, which will shape the technology of the next decade.
