Huawei has announced it would be willing to sign “no-spy” agreements with national governments as debate intensifies over whether the company should be excluded from critical 5G infrastructure on security grounds.
Speaking at a business conference in London, Huawei chairman Liang Hua stated:
“We are willing to sign no-spy agreements with governments, including the UK government, to commit ourselves to making our equipment meet the no-spy, no-backdoors standard.”
The offer comes as Huawei faces increasing pressure, particularly in the UK, where officials are weighing whether to restrict the company’s participation in next-generation networks amid calls from the United States for allied nations to take a tougher stance. While Huawei is not formally banned across the United States, its equipment is rarely used by operators that want to remain eligible for government contracts.
US concerns center on the assertion that Chinese companies can be compelled by Beijing to conduct intelligence activities. Huawei acknowledges that it has a company Communist Party board, describing it as a common feature of companies operating in China, and it rejects claims that Chinese law forces the company to act on behalf of the state.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is reportedly preparing an order that would impose tighter restrictions on foreign telecommunications vendors. The US Commerce Department may take several months to determine how to implement the order, providing Huawei time to advance efforts to demonstrate it does not pose a security risk.
To date, US efforts to persuade close allies to impose outright bans have had limited success. Many partner governments say there is insufficient evidence to justify a full exclusion of Huawei equipment from national 5G networks.
As a key member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, the UK’s approach has been the focus of particular attention. Leaked notes from a National Security Council meeting indicated the UK was considering permitting Huawei hardware in “non-core” parts of future 5G networks while blocking its use in critical core infrastructure.
During a brief visit to the UK, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned of broader strategic risks, describing China’s rise as a new kind of challenge:
“In China, we face a new kind of challenge; an authoritarian regime that’s integrated economically into the West in ways that the Soviet Union never was. Ask yourself: would the Iron Lady be silent when China violates the sovereignty of nations through corruption or coercion? Would she allow China to control the internet of the future?”
US officials have indicated that security cooperation could be reduced if the UK permits Huawei equipment in its networks. Pompeo warned that “insufficient security will impede the United States’ ability to share certain information within trusted networks,” arguing that such divisions align with Chinese strategic objectives to create rifts among Western allies.
UK culture secretary Jeremy Wright responded by saying no final decision had been made and that the government would consider delaying parts of the 5G rollout if needed to protect national security, even if doing so meant relying on more costly suppliers.
China’s ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, urged British authorities to reach an independent conclusion rather than follow other countries’ lead.
16/05 Update
A Huawei spokesperson said: “Restricting Huawei from doing business in the US will not make the US more secure or stronger; instead, this will only serve to limit the US to inferior yet more expensive alternatives, leaving the US lagging behind in 5G deployment, and eventually harming the interests of US companies and consumers.”
Industry events
For professionals interested in these debates, events such as IoT Tech Expo, Blockchain Expo, AI & Big Data Expo, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo bring together industry leaders to discuss telecommunications security, digital infrastructure and the strategic implications of 5G deployment. These expos hold editions in technology hubs including Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam.