US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Conservative Party lawmaker Tom Tugendhat have put pressure on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson after reports surfaced in The Guardian newspaper last week that the Chinese tech giant Huawei will be allowed to participate in the UK's 5G network
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th January, 2020) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Conservative Party lawmaker Tom Tugendhat have put pressure on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson after reports surfaced in The Guardian newspaper last week that the Chinese tech giant Huawei will be allowed to participate in the UK's 5G network.
On Sunday, Tugendhat published an op-ed in the Mail on Sunday newspaper that slammed proposals to allow Huawei to play a role in the UK's 5G network, ahead of an upcoming decision on the Chinese company's participation.
In a tweet, Tugendhat stated that allowing Huawei to use the UK's 5G network would lead to data privacy worries, stressing that "sovereignty means control of data as much as land."
The Tory lawmaker's comments drew attention from US Secretary of State Pompeo, who replied on Sunday evening to Tugendhat, supporting his stance, and stating that the UK's decision on whether to allow Huawei to access the new generation of superfast mobile communications was a "momentous" one.
Tugendhat will present an urgent question in the House of Commons on Monday regarding Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G network, scheduled to take place at 15:30 GMT.
On Thursday, The Guardian cited a source in the prime minister's office who stated that London may utilize Chinese technology in the creation of its 5G network due to a lack of alternatives, despite significant pressure from Washington.
During his election campaign in December, Johnson stated that allowing the Chinese tech company access may pose a security risk. However, the prime minister was spotted snapping a photo on a Huawei cellphone a day after he made these comments.
5G is an advanced wireless technology that can transfer information at speeds 30 times faster than current 4G networks. The technology is predicted to alter the world significantly, particularly in the fields of home technology. China is one of the world leaders in 5G's roll out, and coverage was launched commercially in the country on November 1.
