LONDON/BRUSSELS (UK/BELGIUM) – The UK’s decision to purge Huawei equipment from its 5G network has put pressure on EU member states to toughen curbs on the world’s largest telecoms equipment manufacturer. This comes as the Chinese firm is expanding across Europe.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the ban on the firm on Tuesday, further angering China and pleasing the US.
The move comes as London is miffed over the Chinese crackdown on Hong Kong and over the allegation that Beijing did not reveal the full truth about novel coronavirus. The US had also placed curbs on chip technology, which London believes could affect Huawei’s ability to remain a reliable supplier.
Europe now finds itself facing pressure from the US to halt the expansion of Huawei in the continent.
US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien arrived in Paris on Monday for three days of discussions with his counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and Britain.
The European Union had published a “toolbox” of suggestions in January for its 27 member states, saying they could either “restrict or exclude” high-risk 5G vendors, such as the Chinese firm, from core parts of their telecoms network.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field