Huawei must meet clear conditions if it wants the UK government to permit its involvement in the country's 5G network, Britain's health minister Matt Hancock stated on Sunday. Earlier today, The Telegraph reported that Boris Johnson would begin phasing out the involvement of the Shenzhen firm in as little as six months, with officials currently drawing up proposals to suggest how this course of action should proceed.
When asked about the report, Britain's health minister refused to comment on it specifically, but said that the initial proposal had always been conditional. He stated:
“I wouldn’t comment on leaks of that kind. What I can say is that when we came out with an interim report on this earlier in the year, there are a number of conditions that needed to be met. I’m sure that the National Security Council will look at those conditions, and make the right decision on this, to make sure that we have both a very strong telecoms infrastructure... but also that it is secure.”
In January, Boris Johnson permitted Huawei a limited role in Britain's 5G network. As a result, he has been pressured by the U.S., and Tory MPs, who threaten a parliamentary "insurgency" if the UK government does not take a tougher approach on Huawei and China.
Source: Reuters
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