Trump Claims He Forced Boris Johnson to Reconsider Huawei's Involvement in UK's 5G Network

Strategic Insights -

In a recent interview with Fox News, US President Donald Trump claimed that he had a significant influence on the British government's decision to reconsider the involvement of Chinese telecoms firm Huawei in the UK's 5G network. Trump stated that he had a "big and tough talk" with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, warning that the US would stop doing business with the UK if Huawei was allowed to participate in the network. As a result, Trump claimed that Johnson was forced to change his stance and "terminate" the deal with Huawei.

Key Takeaways:

  • US President Donald Trump claimed that he had a significant influence on the British government's decision to reconsider Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G network.
  • Trump stated that he had a "big and tough talk" with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, warning that the US would stop doing business with the UK if Huawei was allowed to participate in the network.
  • Johnson's decision was a U-turn from his original decision to allow Huawei to help build the UK's 5G network, which was made in January of this year.
  • The decision was prompted by the US slapping sanctions on Huawei, which led the UK to carry out a fresh review of their decision.
  • Huawei will be banned from the network by 2027, and mobile phone providers will be banned from buying new Huawei kit after the end of this year.
  • China's top diplomat in London, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, warned that a ban on Huawei would damage Chinese trust in the UK.
  • Telecoms experts have warned that any government attempt to force them to remove Huawei kit from the networks too quickly could lead to mass UK phone signal blackouts.

Statistics:

  • January 2020: The British government decided to allow Huawei to help build the UK's 5G network.
  • Threats from the US prompted the UK to carry out a fresh review of their decision.
  • Last month: Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Huawei will be banned from the network by 2027.
  • 2027: Huawei will be completely banned from the UK's 5G network.
  • End of this year: Mobile phone providers will be banned from buying new Huawei kit.

Sources:

  • The Sun: "Donald Trump claims he forced Boris Johnson to back down on Huawei's 5G deal". Article published on Fox News, date unavailable
  • BBC News: "Huawei ban: UK to exclude firm from 5G network by 2027". Article published on 14 July 2020
  • Sky News: "China's UK ambassador warns of damage to 'golden era' if Huawei is banned". Article published on 14 July 2020
  • The Telegraph: "Huawei ban: what it means for UK mobile phone users". Article published on 14 July 2020