Huawei ban: Australia becomes increasingly isolated among Five Eyes partners if UK includes Chinese firm in 5G network

Despite US calls for a boycott of Huawei technology within the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, leaked discussions from the UK’s National Security Council have indicated a willingness to permit the Chinese telecoms giant’s involvement in “non-essential” parts of the country’s new 5G infrastructure.

The US has urged other Five Eyes members – the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia – to exclude Huawei from the construction of new telecommunications networks, claiming the company could provide covert access for Chinese intelligence collection, making secure data vulnerable.

However, if the reports from the UK prove accurate, Australia would stand alone as the only member of the Five Eyes alliance – aside from the US – with an all-out ban on Chinese telecoms equipment. Australia, for its part, on Thursday reaffirmed the ban.

China is Australia’s largest trading partner and in January delayed the clearance of Australian coal through its ports over alleged environmental compliance checks. The slowdown, however, has raised concerns Beijing is seeking economic retaliation for Canberra’s hardline stance against Huawei.

The UK already uses some Huawei equipment in its existing 4G network, and New Zealand is still considering which equipment to use in its planned 5G network after the nation’s intelligence agency raised concerns over Chinese firms’ involvement. Most nations in Southeast Asia also use Huawei tech in their existing networks, and US treaty allies Thailand and the Philippines have both proceeded with 5G tests using Huawei technology.