Huawei News: Chinese Telecom Giant Warns UK Against Backing Down From 5G Decision

Huawei's U.K. chief Victor Zhang warned the British government in an open letter Monday against backing down from its decision to allow the Chinese telecom giant to take part in the country’s 5G rollout.

"There are those who choose to continue to attack us without presenting any evidence," Zhang wrote. "Disrupting our involvement in the 5G rollout would do Britain a disservice."

The British government announced in January that Huawei would play a “limited role” in the country’s 5G network. In early March, 38 Conservative Members of Parliament rebelled on the issue, due to concerns that Huawei could use Britain’s 5G network to steal confidential information and hand it over to Beijing.

Huawei is also bracing itself for a possible backlash from London, as the U.K. remains under lockdown due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith, who represents a suburb of London, has said the British government should "stop kowtowing" to China and accused Huawei of using the pandemic to promote its interests in the U.K.

The U.S. has also pushed the British government to reject Huawei due to espionage concerns. President Trump was reportedly furious with Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he heard that the U.K. would allow Huawei to take part in the British 5G network.

In May, Trump barred U.S. companies from doing business with Huawei in a blacklist. The Trump administration is also cracking down on other Chinese firms, with the Department of Justice seeking a ban on Chinese Telecom in the U.S., due to national security risks.