Donald Trump ‘will ask Boris Johnson personally to axe Huawei deal’ in last-ditch bid to block China from the project over security fears
- President Trump expected to call PM directly to lobby him on Huawei’s role in 5G
- The US imposed trade restrictions on Huawei over concerns about its security
- Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom argued Huawei alternatives were ‘limited’
- But full Huawei ban would delay widespread 5G introduction by at least 2 years
Donald Trump is poised to make a last-ditch bid to persuade ministers to exclude Huawei from Britain’s 5G network.
With a decision expected next week, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is expected to raise the issue with Chancellor Sajid Javid over the weekend.
No 10 officials are also braced for President Trump to call Boris Johnson to lobby him on the issue.
Donald Trump is poised to make a last-ditch bid to persuade ministers to exclude Huawei from Britain’s 5G network. A full ban on Huawei equipment would delay the widespread introduction of 5G by at least two years, and result in delays to the availability of super-fast broadband
The US wants a blanket ban on the Chinese tech firm after warning it is a security risk.
The Prime Minister is likely to reject the demand despite fears it will lead to a rift with our closest ally.
Last year, the US imposed trade restrictions on Huawei over concerns about its security and ties to the Chinese government, with allegations its equipment could be used to spy on people.
With a decision expected next week, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is expected to raise the issue with Chancellor Sajid Javid over the weekend. The Chancellor is pictured above in Brussels earlier this week
Huawei has repeatedly denied this. Australia and New Zealand, which are also part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, have also imposed bans.
Security officials have advised Mr Johnson that any security risk can be managed if Huawei is barred from the core elements of the fifth-generation mobile phone network.
A full ban on Huawei equipment would delay the widespread introduction of 5G by at least two years, and result in delays to the availability of super-fast broadband.
Mr Johnson’s official spokesman said work on the ‘issue’ of high-risk 5G partners is ‘ongoing’. A final decision by ministers on the National Security Council is expected next week.
Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom argued the alternatives to Huawei were ‘limited’.
She told Sky News: ‘Ideally there would be more providers of infrastructure similar to the work Huawei does.’
She said the country is ‘looking very closely’ at the issue.
Tory MP Bob Seely, who sat on the Commons foreign affairs committee last year, urged the Government to be cautious about allowing Huawei equipment to form part of the 5G infrastructure.
Mr Seely, who is opposed to the firm’s involvement, said it was ‘one of the most critical issues that will define the coming decades’.
Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said this week that the US is ‘over-concerned’ about the Chinese company.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, he said Huawei had been blacklisted by Washington because the US was uncomfortable with foreigners challenging its own tech expertise.
Security officials have advised Mr Johnson that any security risk can be managed if Huawei is barred from the core elements of the fifth-generation mobile phone network. Mr Johnson’s official spokesman said work on the ‘issue’ of high-risk 5G partners is ‘ongoing’