UK stands up to US on Huawei

Stuff reports:

Britain has decided to allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to supply new high-speed network equipment, ignoring the US government’s warnings that it would sever intelligence cooperation if the company was not banned.

Britain’s decision is the first by a major US ally in Europe, and follows intense lobbying from the Trump administration and China as the two vie for technological dominance.

It sets up a diplomatic clash with the Americans, who claim that British sovereignty is at risk because the company could give the Chinese government access to data, an allegation Huawei denies.

“We would never take decisions that threaten our national security or the security of our Five Eyes partners,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, referring a security arrangement in which Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, share intelligence. 

The UK would not make this decision, if there was a serious concern.

The campaign against Huawei is being driven by the US Government as part of trade protectionism. They are just trying to cripple a hugely successful competitor to US companies.

NZ may have succumbed to the bullying from the US, but good to see the UK has not.