Britain will “bear the consequences” if it treats China as a “hostile” country in deciding whether to allow telecoms equipment maker Huawei a role in UK 5G phone networks, China’s ambassador in London has warned.
Liu Xiaoming cautioned that any U-turn would damage Britain’s image as a proponent of free trade and cast doubts over the independence of its foreign policy. He added it was “not in the UK’s interest” to make an enemy of Beijing.
The intervention comes after an official security inquiry in the UK raised “very, very serious” questions about whether Huawei can continue with its limited role as a supplier of 5G networks as a result of new US sanctions announced in May.
Speaking last week, prime minister Boris Johnson said Britain was concerned about security around “hostile state vendors”.
Addressing reporters during a video conference call on Monday, Mr Liu said: “We want to be your friend. We want to be your partner. But if you want to make China a hostile country, you will have to bear the consequences.”
He added: “The China business community are all watching how you handle Huawei. If you get rid of Huawei it sends out a very bad message to other Chinese businesses.”
Since announcing a limited role for Huawei in the UK’s 5G networks in January — including a 35 per cent cap on market share and exclusion from the sensitive “core” of the network — Downing Street has faced extensive lobbying from Conservative backbenchers and the US administration to reverse the decision.
Mr Liu implied that the British government’s recent concerns about Huawei were motivated by pressure from Washington. “If you dance to the tune of other countries, how can you call yourself Great Britain?” he asked.
Paul Harrison, head of international media at Huawei UK, made the point more forcefully in a series of tweets on Sunday, accusing British politicians of allowing themselves to be “dictated” to by Washington. “Shouldn’t the US respect a United Kingdom in the post-Brexit era being in a position to chose its own telecommunication strategy?” he tweeted.
However, Whitehall officials have privately admitted that the latest US export controls — which ban Huawei from using US equipment in the design and supply of its semiconductors — have introduced “unprecedented” risks in the chip supply chain. A report into the issue by the National Cyber Security Centre, a branch of GCHQ, has been handed to ministers. A final decision on whether Huawei can continue to have a role in UK 5G networks is expected before parliament’s summer recess.
Oliver Dowden, Culture secretary, told LBC radio on Monday that the new sanctions would have a “significant impact” on the company's viability.
Separately, Mr Liu warned the UK’s offer to forge a path to citizenship for almost 3m residents of Hong Kong constituted a “gross interference” in China’s internal affairs and “openly tramples on the basic norms governing international relations”.
The British government pledged to introduce a new route to citizenship for people with British National Overseas status in the territory last week, after Beijing imposed a sweeping new security law for Hong Kong.
Mr Liu insisted the extension of visa rights was a breach of international law and defended the law, under which terrorism, subversion and collusion with foreign elements attracts penalties of up to life imprisonment.
The ambassador accused the British government of making “unwarranted accusations” against the new legislation and “making irresponsible remarks” about Hong Kong.
Asked if China could block Hong Kong citizens from taking up the citizenship offer from the UK, he said: “We have to wait and see. We have to decide our countermeasures in accordance with the actual actions taken by the British side.”
Downing Street responded that it would expect China to understand the importance of “adhering to international law” and said ministers were assessing its extradition arrangements with Hong Kong.
July 06, 2020 at 10:47PM
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China envoy warns of ‘consequences’ if Britain rejects Huawei - Financial Times
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