Britain’s Huawei gamble is sure to anger Donald Trump

Just hours after Donald Trump’s long-delayed state visit to Britain was finally confirmed, reports surfaced that Theresa May and her National Security Council have decided to let Chinese telecommunications company Huawei participate in building Britain’s 5G network. The decision is a direct slap in the face to Washington’s attempts to isolate Huawei, which itself is part of a larger campaign to aggressively counter Beijing’s pervasive and endemic cyberespionage. For a Britain weakened by the ongoing Brexit fiasco, May’s desire to allow Huawei to work on the 5G network risks not merely ruining Trump’s visit, but more importantly further straining ties with Washington.

The struggle over Huawei and the West’s 5G future goes beyond Britain. Germany, for example, appears ready to let the company build part of its proposed network, while both Australia and New Zealand have blocked it from participating. Yet given the UK’s prominence as perhaps America’s key ally, May’s decision has big implications. 

The timing of the (leaked) announcement was also particularly bad, not just in relation to Trump’s planned visit, but in coming on the heels of a report that the CIA warned its “Five Eyes” intelligence partners that Huawei received funding from China’s People’s Liberation Army, one of its intelligence services, and its National Security Commission.