Chief of MI5 Andrew Parker said on Monday that he believes American intelligence cooperation with the United Kingdom will not be affected in any way if Britain decides to allow Huawei into its 5G network projects.
According to The Guardian, Parker argued that at this point in the intel sharing program, there is "no reason today to think that" the cooperation will be affected by British use of Huawei technology.
Parker's comments came amid continued efforts by the White House to block the Chinese tech giant from participating in the Britain's 5G-infrastructure construction. The U.S. has been calling on its allies to issue a blanket ban on China's leading tech equipment provider.
Washington repeatedly alleged over the past year that Huawei equipment posed national security risks. The Chinese tech company also repeatedly denied the claims, challenging the White House to present evidence on its allegations.
The U.K. is expected to issue a final decision within the next few weeks regarding the potential participation of Huawei in its 5G projects. The country's intelligence groups previously reiterated that risks from the company's tech equipment was manageable.
Economists noted that Britain has been put in a tight spot at this point, especially as it seeks to exit the European Union very soon. The country will need the United States for trade purposes but it will also need Huawei to develop its high-speed connection infrastructure.
The U.S. has already placed a ban on Huawei products but a slight reprieve was provided late last year to allow American firms to purchase equipment from their Chinese counterpart.
In a last-ditch effort to block the Chinese tech behemoth from participating in British 5G initiatives, a delegation of American officials will speak with U.K. leaders today, Reuters reported.
Two people briefed on the matter revealed that U.S. deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger would take part in the discussions. Details about the meeting have yet to be revealed but industry experts in Britain have warned that blocking Huawei would cost billions.
A spokesman for the company previously confirmed that British lawmakers said Huawei equipment would not be used in networks where there are intelligence-sharing activities. However, White House officials retained their stance.
U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly threatened to cut off some intelligence with the United Kingdom should its lawmakers decide to allow the Chinese tech company into its 5G networks projects.
Meanwhile, Huawei received a very different welcome from other countries as it recently secured 5G trial approvals from the Indian government despite calls from Washington to block the company.
CEO of Huawei India, Jay Chen said late in December and shortly after the approval was announced, that the company was grateful for India's "continued faith" in the firm's 5G expertise.
The Indian green light came weeks after China's top tech company secured several European deals. The deals include Swiss telecom Sunrise and Telefonica.
