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My Take | Britain right to sack anti-China minister over Huawei leak
- Gavin Williamson denies he was the source of the story, but he had the means and the ideological conviction to try to sabotage a decision to allow the Chinese telecoms giant to build sections of the nation’s 5G networks
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Alex Loin Toronto
Gavin Williamson should consider moving to Washington; the sacked British defence secretary would surely find a more congenial crowd for his anti-China views than his former cabinet colleagues in London.
He was summarily dismissed after being identified as the most likely cabinet minister to have leaked an unannounced decision by the Tory government of Theresa May to allow Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to help build noncore sections of the nation’s new 5G networks. This was despite hardline pressure from the United States and Australia against using any Huawei equipment for 5G.
Williamson, of course, has denied he was the source of the story, which made headlines around the world. But he had the means and the ideological conviction to try to sabotage the plan. Some members of the British military and intelligence establishment also support him against hiring Huawei.
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It’s not the first time Williamson has landed in hot water for trying to take an anti-Chinese stance. In February, he threatened to project “unilateral” military power around the world after Brexit. In full Churchillian mode, he said he was ready to send the first of Britain’s next-generation aircraft carriers, the Queen Elizabeth, to tour the Pacific – which presumably meant the South China Sea to challenge China’s maritime claims.
The problem is that the Queen Elizabeth won’t be ready until 2021 at the earliest. In addition, Williamson’s own Ministry of Defence has a funding gap of at least £7 billion (HK$71 billion), and that could more than double by the end of the next decade.
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The day after he declared the new mission for the British navy, Downing Street emphatically disavowed his threat to tour the Pacific and threaten the Chinese.
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