Johnson says Huawei critics should suggest alternatives

EPA-EFE/PHILIPP GUELLAND
Visitors are reflected in a mirror with the Huawei company logo during the official launch event for the Huawei Mate 10 smartphone series in Munich, southern Germany, 16 October 2017 (reissued 18 June 2018). Chinese Telecommunications Company Huawei published an open letter addressed to Australian lawmakers on 18 June 2018, where it refused Australian government allegations that it poses security concerns, calling the comments 'ill-informed and not based on facts.' The Australian government is expected to ban the Chinese tech firm from bidding in the construction of the country's 5G networks over national security concerns, media reported. The concerns claim Huawei to be linked to the Chinese government, media added.

- Advertisement -

British PM Boris Johnson said that opponents of Chinese tech company Huawei should suggest alternatives.
The comment comes as US officials arrived in Britain to push for Huawei’s 5G ban, as Johnson’s government prepares to decide on how to deploy Huawei equipment in its future 5G networks.
British media said the US delegation told British officials that using Huawei would be “madness”. Other countries however, already started launching the next-generation wireless networks.
“The British public deserve to have access to the best possible technology. Now, if people oppose one brand or another, then they have to tell us what’s the alternative, right?”, Johnson said in an interview.
In May, the US government added Huawei to its trade blacklist, amid concerns that its 5G equipment enables the Chinese government to spy on other nations. Huawei has rejected the allegations, saying it operates independently of the ruling party of China.
“I don’t want, as the UK prime minister, to put in any infrastructure that is going to prejudice our national security or our ability to cooperate with Five Eyes intelligence partners”, Johnson said, regarding the ‘five eyes’ intelligence partnership, which includes Britain, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Huawei says it is confident the UK government will make its decision “based upon evidence, as opposed to unsubstantiated allegations”:
“Huawei have been here in the UK for more than 18 years and trust has been built with our customers and with the UK government through our openness and transparency”, said Victor Zhang, Huawei’s president for global government affairs.

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

Latest

On the two-year anniversary, G7 Foreign Ministers address the devastating war in Sudan

After nearly 23 months of war, on March 21,...

Doom, gloom or boom?

While it is an almost painful daily task to...

Don't miss

On the two-year anniversary, G7 Foreign Ministers address the devastating war in Sudan

After nearly 23 months of war, on March 21,...

Doom, gloom or boom?

While it is an almost painful daily task to...

Romania utilizing all available resources to boost its energy independence

Romania is using all energy resources available, including natural...

Back to the 1970s: Flared trousers and tank tops. Is this the result of Trump’s tariff tantrums?

There are somewhere some dreadful photographs of this author wearing what we all once thought were the height of fashion and style. Generally, that...

Doom, gloom or boom?

While it is an almost painful daily task to ascertain where the Trump administration is positioned on the question of tariff policy, and traders...

EU leaders in Kyiv back Ukraine, but Trump won’t blame Russia

On the three-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European leaders travelled to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and to declare their...

Kazakhstan accelerates digital transformation with new visa options

Upgrading its visa regime for skilled foreign workers and potential investors to world-class standards to support the Central Asia country’s economic development and digital...

EU officially implements landmark AI law

The EU officially implemented its new landmark AI law on February 2, aiming to ensure safety and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence. The European...

Tariff Trouble in Trump Town

President Trump has had many a cartoon about him as a child throwing toys and anything to hand out of the playpen. Now, of...

Stock Market or Not Market

So, what is a market? Obviously, it is somewhere where you can buy and sell “stuff.” In a successful economy having a market to...

The Key Issue for a new Government

After 14 years in the political wilderness, the new UK Labour government could be excused for being somewhat rusty when it comes to running...