Chinese technology company Huawei has published a defiant letter to British public claiming it will ‘fix the country’s connectivity problems’.
In an open letter, published in several national newspapers including the Daily Mail on Monday, the Chinese firm said it was as ‘committed as ever’ to building internet networks ‘quickly, affordably and securely’.
As well as making smartphones, Huawei develops telco equipment to kit out mobile and broadband networks around the world.
But Huawei’s reiterated commitment to bringing better internet connections to the UK follows government reviews of the firm’s role in the country’s infrastructure.
Only last week, rumours emerged that Boris Johnson wanted to back out of a deal to let Huawei build 35 per cent of the nation’s 5G network.
An open letter from Huawei has been published in several national newspapers on Monday saying it will fix the country’s connectivity
Some officials are concerned Huawei could threaten to walk away, leaving the 3G and 4G networks that rely on Huawei equipment in turmoil.
However, in a media call on Monday morning, the company told MailOnline it remains committed to improving connectivity for everyone in the UK.
The telecoms giant said it has been working in the UK for 20 years and will continue to invest even though ‘some now question our role in helping Britain lead the way in 5G’.
‘We believe the UK government will continue to take the evidence-based approach,’ Huawei vice president Victor Zhang told MailOnline.
‘I think the UK government will take the British interest as a high priority – that’s very important.
‘To have great digital infrastructure is definitely an advantage for the digital economy.
Huawei’s statement as it appears in today’s newspapers including The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph and The Times
‘We believe the UK needs to take the opportunity to lead the 5G deployment to make sure it has the best digital infrastructure to lead the fourth industrial revolution.
‘5G will bring Britain huge opportunities and accelerate the economic recovery, and we are committed to bringing secure and more resilient networks.’
Zhang referred to the company’s statement, printed as a full page ad in today’s newspapers including The Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Mirror and The Sun.
In a further statement, Zhang suggested that the Chinese firm was the government’s best option for meeting its target of providing superfast broadband to all.
He said people in the UK are often surprised to learn that the company opened its first office in 2001 and have since been ‘integral’ to building mobile and broadband networks across the country.
‘We’ve been here for 20 years and were integral in building the 3G and 4G networks we all use every day,’ he said.
‘Britain needs the best possible technologies, more choice, innovation and more suppliers, all of which means more secure and more resilient networks.
‘This is fundamental to achieving the government’s Gigabit broadband target by 2025. This is our commitment to the UK.’
Concerns have been raised previously over the company’s role in the UK’s 5G network because of fears over close ties to the Chinese state.
Trump blacklisted Huawei in May last year amid ongoing allegations that the company is a threat to American national security – which Huawei has denied
US critics have claimed Huawei’s equipment could be used to spy on people and governments in the West – allegations the company has repeatedly denied.
At the forefront of US suspicions is President Donald Trump, who blacklisted Huawei in May last year amid ongoing allegations that the company is a threat to American national security.
This blacklisting will now last for another 12 months along with a tightening of rules around Huawei’s ability to buy semiconductors from firms that use US technology, it was revealed last month.
Last week the Prime Minister’s official spokesman revealed that the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) had launched a review looking at the impact new US sanctions against Huawei could have on the UK’s networks.
In January, after a government review, it was announced Huawei would be allowed to have a reduced role in Britain’s 5G infrastructure.
However, the company was classed as a ‘high-risk vendor’, locked out of sensitive parts of the network and told it would be limited to no more than 35 per cent of non-core areas of the network.
This decision was met with anger from Huawei critics in both the UK and the US, with many continuing to urge the government to rethink the move and remove Huawei entirely.
In recent weeks, however, there have been reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reconsidering the decision, with a new security review now underway.
The PM has ‘changed his mind’ over the deal with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, according to a senior government source, and wants to use the new security review ‘as cover’ for getting out of the deal.
However, Huawei equipment that makes up 3G and 4G infrastructure will remain inside parts of Britain’s mobile phone network for up to seven years, even if Mr Johnson tries to ban it.
Industry insiders said it would take years for them to rip out Huawei kit from their infrastructure if they were told to do so by the government.
They also warned it would result in long delays to the Prime Minister’s plan to deliver full-fibre broadband to all in the UK.
Huawei’s Zhang said his company will ‘play its part’ in ensuring the UK reaches this ambitious goal, set for 2025.