Huawei urges UK not to make 5G U-turn after pandemic

Chinese telecoms company Huawei has said that disturbing its involvement within the rollout of 5G would do Britain "a disservice".

In January, the United kingdom government allowed a limited role for Huawei in building the country's new data networks.

But in March, a backbench revolution within the conservative party indicated efforts to overturn the move.

In a letter, the firm also said it had been focused on keeping the United kingdom connected during the COVID-19 crisis.

But the pandemic may increase pressure on the government to require a stricter line on the corporate.

Huawei's UK chief Victor Zhang says home data use has increased by a minimum of 50% since the virus first hit the United kingdom, placing "significant pressure" on telecoms systems.

Huawei says it has been working with partners like BT, Vodafone and EE to deal with the expansion and has also founded three new warehouses around the country to make sure spare parts stay in supply.

Zhang also says the present crisis has highlighted how many people, especially in rural communities, are "stuck during a digital slow lane". And he warns that excluding Huawei from a future role in 5G would be a blunder.

"There are people who prefer to opt to attack us without presenting any evidence," he writes.

"Disrupting our involvement within the 5G rollout would do Britain a disservice."

The government has banned Huawei from the most sensitive parts of the UK's mobile networks and limited it to 35% of the periphery, which has its radio masts.

But critics argue it's a security risk to permit the Chinese company to play any role at all due to fears it might be used by Beijing to spy on or perhaps sabotage communications.

In early March, 38 Conservatives MPs rebelled on the problem, a more significant number than expected. That points to a possible upset when the Telecoms Infrastructure Bill comes before Parliament, which is able to happen later within the year.

The coronavirus crisis highlights the strain between economic and national security issues that produces the topic so contentious.

On one side, the need for more excellent connectivity to boost economic growth. Supporters of Huawei's role argue that excluding it'd both cut down and lift the price of delivering faster and more reliable networks.

On the opposite side is anger directed at China from some quarters due to its perceived mishandling of the initial COVID-19 outbreak, also as the broader concerns over growing dependence on its technologies and firms.

Unnamed ministers and senior officials were recently quoted as saying there would need to be a "reckoning" once the present crisis is over.

Part of that might involve a reversal of January's decision - a priority which can explain the decision to write down the letter.

On 4 April a bunch of 15 Conservative MPs involved a rethink on relations with China in their letter to the Prime Minister, written every day before he was admitted to hospital.

"Over time, we've allowed ourselves to grow dependent on China and have didn't take a strategic view of Britain's long-term economic, technical and security needs," the group wrote. Among the signatories were Iain Duncan Smith, David Davis and Bob Seely.