We must proceed carefully on decisions related to Huawei, says UK PM Boris Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he would proceed carefully on making a decision on Huawei because the government did not want any critical infrastructure to be controlled by “potentially hostile state vendors”.

“I don’t want to see our critical national infrastructure at risk of being in any way controlled by potentially hostile state vendors,” Johnson told the Evening Standard when asked about the Chinese telecommunications giant’s possible involvement in Britain’s 5G network. “So we have to think very carefully about how to proceed now.”

Also Read: Chinese apps have been banned in India; Is Huawei next?

British lawmakers have been pushing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reconsider a January decision to grant Huawei a limited role in Britain’s 5G networks. 

Huawei's role in Britain's next-generation 5G network is under heightened scrutiny, with increasing global mistrust of China after the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Also Read: US telecom regulator designates China's Huawei, ZTE as 'national security threats'

Meanwhile, the US telecommunications regulator Federal Communications Commission(FCC) has formally designated China's Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp as posing threats to US national security. 

The declaration bars US tech firms from tapping an $8.3 billion Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment from the companies, effective immediately.

(With inputs from Reuters)