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British Decision to Oust Huawei Is Settled, Analyst Says

Natalie Liu

   A British political insider says there is no longer any doubt that the
   London government will abandon plans to incorporate technology from
   Chinese tech giant Huawei in the rollout of its 5G telecommunications
   network.

   The government will make an official announcement in the coming weeks
   of its plans to "sunset" Huawei's involvement in the network, said Nile
   Gardiner, a onetime aide to former British Prime Minister Margaret
   Thatcher and now the chair of a center named for Thatcher at the
   Washington-based Heritage Foundation.

   Word of the decision has already been leaked to British media outlets
   quoting Downing Street sources, "which is usually how it works,"
   Gardiner said in an interview.

   For months, the British government has been under pressure from the
   United States to pull out of its deal with Huawei, but Gardiner said
   domestic considerations are at least equally responsible for the
   decision.

   He attributes the reversal in part to strong opposition among senior
   members of the governing Conservative Party, as well as widespread
   public disillusionment with Beijing resulting from the coronavirus
   pandemic.

   "There has been a very significant rebellion against Prime Minister
   [Boris] Johnson's earlier decision" to allow Huawei a 35% stake in
   Britain's telecommunications market, Gardiner told VOA.

   Vote to amend sought

   During a parliamentary debate on the issue in March, former
   Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith questioned Johnson's
   decision and called for a vote to amend the government's
   Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill.

   Duncan Smith accused the Chinese government of spending 20 years
   underbidding other tech firms until Huawei could emerge as the dominant
   player in the telecom market. He said going ahead with the deal would
   make Britain "nationally dependent on Huawei," which has been
   classified by British authorities as a "high-risk vendor."

   Gardiner said the revolt within party ranks has gained sufficient
   support that the Johnson government must amend its proposed 5G
   legislation or risk a parliamentary defeat when the issue next comes to
   a vote this summer.

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