Security News
Britain's government on Tuesday backtracked on plans to give Chinese telecommunications company Huawei a limited role in the U.K.'s new high-speed mobile phone network in a decision with broad implications for relations between London and Beijing. The U.S. threatened to sever an intelligence-sharing arrangement with the UK because of concerns Huawei equipment could allow the Chinese government to infiltrate U.K. networks.
Chinese telecoms giant Huawei urged Britain on Wednesday not to rush into taking any costly decision to phase out its equipment from the UK's 5G network because of US sanctions. Johnson's government allowed Huawei to roll out up to 35 percent of Britain's 5G network under the condition that it stays out of "Core" elements dealing with personal data.
China's ambassador to Britain on Monday warned that London faced a risk to its international reputation if it blocked Huawei from the nation's 5G network. A UK security investigation, yet to be published, has raised "Very, very serious" questions over Huawei's limited 5G role in Britain, the financial daily added.
China urged France Monday to guarantee a "Fair and just" environment for its companies after Paris decided to restrict licenses for telecom operators using 5G technology from Huawei. The United States and Australia have banned Huawei from their 5G networks and the Financial Times reported Monday that Britain could decide this month to phase out the company's equipment from its system.
China's Huawei is not totally banned from France's next-generation 5G wireless market, but French operators using them will only get limited licences, the head of the national cybersecurity agency told Les Echos newspaper Sunday. The comments were the latest development in the controversy over Huawei's involvement, after several Western nations barred the company from participation in their 5G networks over security fears.
China on Wednesday demanded Washington stop "Oppressing Chinese companies" after U.S. regulators declared telecom equipment suppliers Huawei and ZTE to be national security threats. "We once again urge the United States to stop abusing the concept of national security, deliberately discrediting China and unreasonably oppressing Chinese companies," said the spokesman, Zhao Lijian.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday designated Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE as national security threats. By declaring the Chinese companies national security threats, the FCC is banning U.S. organizations from acquiring equipment or services using money from the agency's Universal Service Fund.
The US is letting blacklisted Chinese technology giant Huawei back into the fold when it comes to companies working together to set standards for 5G telecom networks. US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross this week announced a new rule allowing companies to share technology with Huawei for the purpose of developing standards for the new generation of wireless services.
Some have claimed the Trump administration's concerns have more to do with losing the 5G arms race than anything else, but ostensibly its chief worries have been chalked up to security, with the US government claiming Huawei's 5G kit could be backdoored by Beijing. For its part, earlier this year, the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport labelled Huawei as a "High-risk" vendor over its perceived ties to the Chinese government, and issued strong new rules prohibiting carriers from using the firm's equipment within the core 5G network.
Britain said Friday it was pushing the United States to form a club of 10 nations that could develop its own 5G technology and reduce dependence on China's controversial telecoms giant Huawei. Britain has allowed the Chinese global leader in 5G technology to build up to 35 percent of the infrastructure necessary to roll out its new speedy data network.