The U.S. National Security Agency has warned that approving Huawei's involvement risks handing China a "loaded gun." A White House official told VOA the issue will likely be raised during U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain in June.
Australia and New Zealand have decided to block or heavily restrict Huawei's involvement in the development of their 5G networks. Huawei denies being controlled by the Chinese government and says its equipment can't be used for espionage purposes. And the Chinese ambassador to Britain, Liu Xiaoming, said Sunday the company has a "good track record" on security.
He argued in an article written for Britain's Sunday Telegraph that any blocking of Huawei would be discriminatory and protectionist. "The last thing China expects from a truly open and fair 'global Britain' is a playing field that is not level," he wrote. The envoy urged Britain to ignore U.S. warnings.