[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister known as the 'Trump of the UK,' appears set to introduce equipment from the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei into the country's 5G mobile network construction project despite overt pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Bloomberg and other sources, Johnson's cabinet will decide on whether to adopt Huawei-produced equipment at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting held on the 28th (local time). Despite pressure from the U.S., which leads the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, and opposition within the ruling Conservative Party over national security concerns, Johnson's cabinet is reportedly leaning toward introducing Huawei's equipment.
In an interview released the previous day, Prime Minister Johnson stated, "There is a way to allow consumers and businesses access to new technology without compromising critical infrastructure, security, or cooperation with intelligence powers," adding, "We will find a solution that satisfies both goals simultaneously."
This is because it was judged to be practically impossible to build a 5G network using only domestic technology while excluding Huawei, the leading company with price competitiveness. Johnson's cabinet is also considering measures such as setting caps on market share and allowing Huawei's participation only in non-core sectors excluding critical areas. Earlier, the British economic forecasting agency Oxford Economics pointed out that excluding Huawei from 5G network equipment supply could delay 5G adoption globally.
Bloomberg reported, "Prime Minister Johnson is preparing to reject President Trump's demand to exclude Huawei," and added, "Despite repeated warnings from the Trump administration about Chinese espionage through Huawei, Johnson suggested that it is possible to guarantee consumer benefits without falling into national security risks."
So far, the Trump administration has openly demanded the international community exclude Huawei's equipment from 5G projects, claiming that Huawei's equipment contains 'backdoors' that allow the Chinese government to steal classified information through espionage. As a member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, the UK has sent delegations and, on the 24th, President Trump personally pressured Prime Minister Johnson via a phone call to exclude Huawei. The Five Eyes alliance includes five English-speaking countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
