US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned that China seeks to “divide Western alliances through bits and bytes” and suggested the United States could reduce intelligence and security cooperation with the UK if it allows Huawei equipment into national 5G networks.
During a short visit to the UK, Pompeo urged British leaders not to “go wobbly” on 5G security, borrowing a phrase associated with Margaret Thatcher. He framed the challenge from China as a new form of authoritarian influence that is economically integrated with the West in ways the Soviet Union was not.
“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,” Pompeo said.
He asked rhetorically whether the late prime minister would remain silent as China purportedly infringes on nations’ sovereignty through corruption or coercion, and whether Britain would permit China to exert influence over the “internet of the future.”
Reports from a National Security Council meeting indicated the UK government was considering permitting Huawei 5G equipment in “non-core” parts of the network. The US administration maintains that any Huawei involvement presents national security risks, arguing that Chinese law and government practices could compel companies to provide access to data or systems.
Pompeo warned that allowing Huawei into sensitive networks could impair the United States’ willingness to share classified information within allied trusted networks. “Insufficient security will impede the United States’ ability to share certain information within trusted networks,” he said, adding that such a division among allies would play into China’s strategic aims.
He argued that Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE could be compelled by their government to provide access to data traversing their systems. “Why would anyone grant such power to a regime that has already grossly violated cyberspace?” he asked.
UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright responded by stressing that no final decision had been taken. He acknowledged that protecting national security could necessitate a slower rollout of 5G or the use of more expensive suppliers, and said a delay remained a real possibility if required to ensure adequate safeguards.
“There is certainly the possibility of a delay in the process of the rollout of 5G,” Wright said. “If you want to do 5G fastest then you do that without any consideration for security.”
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