Chinese tech giant Huawei was blasted today after attempting to use the coronavirus pandemic as a bargaining tool in its battle to remain ...
Chinese tech giant Huawei was blasted today after attempting to use the coronavirus pandemic as a bargaining tool in its battle to remain part of the UK's 5G network.
The firm, which has close links to to the country's Communist state machinery, urged Boris Johnson to avoid doing Britain 'a disservice' by cutting it out of the next generation roll-out.
In an open letter today Huawei's UK boss Victor Zhang drew attention to the work it has done keeping the UK connected during the pandemic.
He said telecoms systems have faced 'significant pressure' since the virus first hit Britain, with home data use up by 50 per cent.
Tory MP Bob Seely told MailOnline: 'It is pretty crass and tasteless that Huawei yet again is trying to use this crisis for their own ends and Chinese state ends.
'It is clear there is going to be a change of opinion about China after all this and Huawei is going to be part of that.
A man with a mask walks under a Huawei sign using his phone in Shenyang, China, on April 2
Tory MP Bob Seely told MailOnline: 'It is pretty crass and tasteless that Huawei yet again is trying to use this crisis for their own ends and Chinese state ends'
'It is pretty crass the way it has been handing out masks. They seem to be again trying to make politics out of this crisis.
'We now hear the secret services are re-evaluating their relationship with China as well.
'If we are going to have open trade and open borders the Chinese need to be honest about pandemics in their own country and what happens in their own country.'
The UK Government has faced accusations it is putting national security at risk after allowing the company in January to help build Britain's new data networks.
Boris Johnson survived a major rebellion in March when 38 Tory MPs voted against Huawei's involvement amid fears over its ties to the Chinese state.
Now, the company has said it is focused on keeping the UK connected during the pandemic.
A woman speaks on her phone outside a Huawei store at a shopping centre in Beijing on April 1
The company added that it is working with BT, Vodafone and EE to deal with the growth and has set up three new UK warehouses to keep spare parts in supply.
Mr Zhang also claimed that the crisis also highlighted how many rural communities are 'stuck in a digital slow lane', and excluding Huawei from 5G would be an error.
He wrote: 'There are those who choose to continue to attack us without presenting any evidence.
'Disrupting our involvement in the 5G rollout would do Britain a disservice.'
Senior Tories have previously claimed the Prime Minister is putting national security at risk by allowing the Chinese firm access to UK infrastructure.
The MPs attempted in March to limit the tech giant's access by tabling an amendment seeking to ban 'high-risk vendors' from the system after 2022.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden tried to persuade the rebels not to revolt by pledging to work to ensure no such high-risk vendor is in the 5G network in future.
But after he refused to set a date for guaranteeing when Huawei will be out completely, 38 Tory MPs rebelled.
Although the Government won the vote with a 24 majority, the size of the revolt was a sign of the challenge facing ministers when they try to push through legislation.
The rebels were concerned that the Government's decision to allow Huawei to supply 'non-core' elements of the 5G network could jeopardise security.
There are widespread fears across the Tory party that the decision could give China a 'back door' to spy on the UK's telecoms network.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks from 10 Downing Street yesterday to praise NHS staff after he was discharged from hospital a week after being admitted with coronavirus symptoma
The White House has banned Huawei from US networks and has been highly critical of the Government's decision, which came despite intense lobbying from America.
Former Tory party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said in March that the rebels were 'genuinely concerned' about Huawei, which he described as being 'essentially almost completely owned by Chinese trade unions controlled by the state'.
He said: 'The reality is that when it comes to security versus cost, my view is security wins every single time because I worry when we start compromising security.
'If defence of the realm is our number one priority then this becomes demi-defence of the realm and I am not prepared to put up with that.'
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