Boris Johnson CAN allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to provide Britain’s 5G networks, say UK security chiefs
- The Prime Minister is due to convene his National Security Council in January
- He will decide if the firm can be trusted to provide elements of the upgrade
- Preliminary discussions recommended excluding the firm from ‘core’ aspects
Security chiefs have given the green light for Boris Johnson to allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to provide Britain’s 5G networks, despite espionage fears.
A senior security source told The Mail on Sunday ‘the balance between national security and the economic benefit to the UK is something we are confident we can manage’.
The Prime Minister is due to convene his National Security Council in the third week of January to make a decision on whether the controversial firm can be trusted to provide elements of the vital upgrade.
Security chiefs have given the green light for Boris Johnson to allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to provide Britain’s 5G networks, despite espionage fears (file image)
Preliminary discussions recommended excluding the firm from ‘core’ aspects of the British network.
But the MoS understands that security service bosses have given their blessing to a plan to allow the firm to supply ‘non core’ elements such as antennae for high-speed mobile internet.
However, such a move risks a row with the US, which takes a harder line on China.
The Prime Minister is due to convene his National Security Council in the third week of January to make a decision on whether the controversial firm can be trusted to provide elements of the vital upgrade
The NSC has previously been warned that blocking Huawei’s access to the UK’s 5G network risks leaving Britain in the technological dark age.
A Whitehall source said: ‘This is now a purely political decision.’
Huawei has consistently denied espionage allegations.