Britain is negotiating with rival Huawei Technologies to supply equipment for mobile networks fifth generation (5G), whereas the administration of Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reviewing the position of the British government against China in connection with the global pandemic of coronavirus, according to Bloomberg.
British officials met in may with representatives of the Japanese technology company NEC Corp. in an effort to diversify range of providers of telecommunications equipment for British mobile networks 5G, said the informant of the edition familiar with the negotiations. The government was also considering Samsung Electronics as one possible way of ensuring critical infrastructure 5G, the source said.
the Goal is to shift away from reliance on the partnership with Huawei in the face of growing political opposition within the ruling Conservative party of great Britain and wariness towards China among international allies of the UK. British officials declare that the market needs new participants and their absence and the reason for the references to Chinese Huawei. Representatives of the U.S. administration for months has lobbied for the idea that further cooperation with Chinese firm would have a negative impact on the relations in the sphere of security in London and Washington. U.S. officials have warned British Ministers that work with Huawei could “undermine” the exchange of intelligence between London and Washington.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was outraged by trump administration in January, leaving the Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei “limited powers” in the British development of the 5G network, despite warnings from the US about potential security risks.
the Leaders of Britain’s intelligence services, however, advised Boris Johnson to continue the cooperation with Huawei. Representatives of British intelligence, counter-intelligence (MI5, MI6), TSEintra government communications (GCHQ) and the National centre of cyber security came to the conclusion that the activities of Chinese enterprises will not threaten British sovereignty, sources reported The Daily Mail. The British government said recently that will hold a new analysis of the role of Huawei in the deployment of 5G networks in the United Kingdom.
Boris Johnson, according to the publication, also requested the experts to develop a plan for self-sufficiency of the country’s vital medical consumables and other strategic goods to get rid of dependence on Chinese imports. Now, according to experts, approximately 71 category of essential goods in the UK depend on supply from China. This includes pharmaceutical ingredients, industrial chemicals, and electronics, including mobile phones and laptops.
Johnson and his closest associates have become much more skeptical of China since then, as coronaries hit the UK. Tory, including officials in the administration have criticized Beijing in connection with how China coped with the early stages of the outbreak of coronavirus.
instead, government officials believe that it would be impossible to stop the outrage the tories, insisting on the prohibition of the participation of Huawei in the mobile networks of the country, when the government will introduce a bill later this year, said people familiar with the matter.
Political reality of opposition to Huawei has made urgent the question of finding alternatives to the country did not need to rely on Huawei for the supply of equipment 5G in the long term, say the sources.
About one-third of mobile base stations 4G in the UK work on the equipment of Huawei and rules introduced in January mean that the company will be able to deliver up to 35% of the equipment for 5G.
British officials were ordered to develop plans for phasing out the participation of Chinese companies in the Britishx mobile networks by 2023. But at the present time, no company can completely replace the Huawei.
Discussions between the government and the NEC has been focused on how to bring a company on the British market 5G, first, potentially through a pilot program on development of technical capabilities, called “Create 5G”. The publication’s source claims that this step means serious about diversifying and moving away from a partnership with Huawei.
Samsung, which currently supplies equipment 5G in the UK will be invited to negotiations with the government in the near future in the context of the wider proposals for the diversification of the supply chain network, said the informant.
the Department of digital technologies, culture, media and sport is leading the work in the pilot program 5G cost of 200 million pounds (252 million dollars) for the development of the mobile infrastructure of new generation in the UK.
British officials responsible for digital security, consider the role of Huawei in light of the recent additional sanctions by the US government against Chinese companies that can have a significant impact on the British network. “Security and resiliency of our networks is paramount,” said one of the government officials.
Political tensions intensified after the pandemic Covid-19. The plan of China for the introduction of a new law about security in Hong Kong, a former British colony, has also caused alarm in London. Johnson urged Beijing to retreat, but warned that if the new security act to be introduced in Hong Kong, it will give a chance to find asylum in the UK 3 million people.
