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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/may/08/mike-pompeo-invokes-thatcher-push-harder-line-china-huawei
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| Mike Pompeo urges Tories to ask: 'What would Thatcher do?' | Mike Pompeo urges Tories to ask: 'What would Thatcher do?' |
| (6 months later) | |
| The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has invoked Margaret Thatcher as he appealed to the Conservative right to take a firmer line with China, again urging the UK to resist efforts by Huawei to gain access to Britain’s new 5G network. | The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has invoked Margaret Thatcher as he appealed to the Conservative right to take a firmer line with China, again urging the UK to resist efforts by Huawei to gain access to Britain’s new 5G network. |
| Insisting he felt duty-bound to raise sensitive issues with close partners, Pompeo said the telecoms company was, as a matter of Chinese law, required to bow to Beijing’s demands for access to its networks, adding he could see no circumstances in which the west should allow itself to become so vulnerable. | Insisting he felt duty-bound to raise sensitive issues with close partners, Pompeo said the telecoms company was, as a matter of Chinese law, required to bow to Beijing’s demands for access to its networks, adding he could see no circumstances in which the west should allow itself to become so vulnerable. |
| In a speech in London, he claimed China was intent on dividing the west through the use of technology. | In a speech in London, he claimed China was intent on dividing the west through the use of technology. |
| Referring to the late former prime minister, he said: “Ask yourself: would the Iron Lady be silent when China violates the sovereignty of nations through corruption or coercion?” | Referring to the late former prime minister, he said: “Ask yourself: would the Iron Lady be silent when China violates the sovereignty of nations through corruption or coercion?” |
| US secretary of state Mike Pompeo warns UK over Huawei and 5G - live news | US secretary of state Mike Pompeo warns UK over Huawei and 5G - live news |
| He added: “Insufficient security will impede the United States’ ability to share certain information within trusted networks. This is just what China wants: to divide western alliances through bits and bytes, not bullets and bombs.” | He added: “Insufficient security will impede the United States’ ability to share certain information within trusted networks. This is just what China wants: to divide western alliances through bits and bytes, not bullets and bombs.” |
| Pompeo was speaking in London where he had discussions with the prime minister, Theresa May, and the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt. | Pompeo was speaking in London where he had discussions with the prime minister, Theresa May, and the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt. |
| The chief topic in the talks was the British government’s decision to allow Huawei limited access to 5G networks, although the Iran nuclear deal and planning for a post-Brexit free trade deal were also discussed. | The chief topic in the talks was the British government’s decision to allow Huawei limited access to 5G networks, although the Iran nuclear deal and planning for a post-Brexit free trade deal were also discussed. |
| The US has been telling its allies not to use Huawei’s equipment because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying, accusations the company has categorically denied. | The US has been telling its allies not to use Huawei’s equipment because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying, accusations the company has categorically denied. |
| Pompeo said: “The United States has an obligation to ensure that places where we want to operate, places where American information is, places where we have our national security resident, they operate inside trusted networks. | Pompeo said: “The United States has an obligation to ensure that places where we want to operate, places where American information is, places where we have our national security resident, they operate inside trusted networks. |
| “With respect to 5G, we continue to have technical discussions, we’re making our views very well known. From America’s perspective, each country has a sovereign right to make its own decision about how to deal with the challenge.” | “With respect to 5G, we continue to have technical discussions, we’re making our views very well known. From America’s perspective, each country has a sovereign right to make its own decision about how to deal with the challenge.” |
| Hunt stressed the UK would never take a decision that undermined the UK’s special relationship with the US, or that undermined the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. “Britain would “never take a decision that compromised our ability to share intelligence” with its close allies, he said. | Hunt stressed the UK would never take a decision that undermined the UK’s special relationship with the US, or that undermined the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. “Britain would “never take a decision that compromised our ability to share intelligence” with its close allies, he said. |
| Huawei is a Chinese telecoms company founded in 1987. Politicians in the US have alleged that Huawei’s forthcoming 5G mobile phone networks could be hacked by Chinese spies to eavesdrop on sensitive phone calls and gain access to counter-terrorist operations. Allies who allow Huawei technology inside their 5G networks have been told they may be frozen out of US intelligence sharing. Australia, New Zealand and Japan have banned Huawei from their 5G networks. | Huawei is a Chinese telecoms company founded in 1987. Politicians in the US have alleged that Huawei’s forthcoming 5G mobile phone networks could be hacked by Chinese spies to eavesdrop on sensitive phone calls and gain access to counter-terrorist operations. Allies who allow Huawei technology inside their 5G networks have been told they may be frozen out of US intelligence sharing. Australia, New Zealand and Japan have banned Huawei from their 5G networks. |
| In the UK, BT has excluded Huawei telecoms infrastructure from its own 5G rollout and removed some of its equipment from the 4G network. In January 2019 Vodafone said it had decided to 'pause' the use of Huawei equipment in its core networks across Europe. The UK's defence secretary Gavin Williamson was sacked by prime minister Theresa May after a leak revealed the sensitive decision that the UK would not be totally banning Huawei from 5G projects. | In the UK, BT has excluded Huawei telecoms infrastructure from its own 5G rollout and removed some of its equipment from the 4G network. In January 2019 Vodafone said it had decided to 'pause' the use of Huawei equipment in its core networks across Europe. The UK's defence secretary Gavin Williamson was sacked by prime minister Theresa May after a leak revealed the sensitive decision that the UK would not be totally banning Huawei from 5G projects. |
| Poland’s internal affairs minister, Joachim Brudziński, has called for the European Union and Nato to work on a joint position over whether to exclude Huawei from their markets, after an Huawei employee was arrested on spying charges. | Poland’s internal affairs minister, Joachim Brudziński, has called for the European Union and Nato to work on a joint position over whether to exclude Huawei from their markets, after an Huawei employee was arrested on spying charges. |
| Much of the doubt surrounding Huawei stems from founder Ren Zhengfei’s background in China's People’s Liberation Army between 1974 and 1983, where he was an engineer. His daughter, Huawei’s senior executive Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada in December 2018 over allegations of Iran-sanctions violations. | |
| At a press conference with Hunt earlier on Wednesday, Pompeo criticised Jeremy Corbyn over his support of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro. | At a press conference with Hunt earlier on Wednesday, Pompeo criticised Jeremy Corbyn over his support of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro. |
| Asked about the Labour leader’s position, Pompeo said: “It is disgusting to see leaders in not only the United Kingdom but in the United States as well who continue to support the murderous dictator Maduro.” | Asked about the Labour leader’s position, Pompeo said: “It is disgusting to see leaders in not only the United Kingdom but in the United States as well who continue to support the murderous dictator Maduro.” |
| Speaking at the same event, Hunt criticised the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, for supporting Maduro. | Speaking at the same event, Hunt criticised the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, for supporting Maduro. |
| Pompeo renewed his criticisms of Labour later on Wednesday when he was asked in a TV interview if Washington was seeking to interfere in Venezuela. | Pompeo renewed his criticisms of Labour later on Wednesday when he was asked in a TV interview if Washington was seeking to interfere in Venezuela. |
| “Yes, well, providing food for starving children isn’t interference. It’s what we do. It’s in our deepest traditions of humanitarian assistance,” he told Sky News. | “Yes, well, providing food for starving children isn’t interference. It’s what we do. It’s in our deepest traditions of humanitarian assistance,” he told Sky News. |
| “The interference has taken place. The Cubans are there. They have interfered. So I hope Mr Corbyn will ask the Cubans to cease their interference in Venezuela.” | “The interference has taken place. The Cubans are there. They have interfered. So I hope Mr Corbyn will ask the Cubans to cease their interference in Venezuela.” |
| A Labour spokeswoman said the party’s position on Venezuela was to call for no foreign interference in the country. “We oppose outside interference in Venezuela, whether from the US or anywhere else: the future of Venezuela is a matter for the Venezuelans,” she said. | A Labour spokeswoman said the party’s position on Venezuela was to call for no foreign interference in the country. “We oppose outside interference in Venezuela, whether from the US or anywhere else: the future of Venezuela is a matter for the Venezuelans,” she said. |
| Separately, the culture secretary, Jeremy Wright, said it was still possible the roll-out of 5G networks in Britain could be delayed by a review into telecoms equipment. “The primary intention of this process is to get the security of the network right,” he said. | Separately, the culture secretary, Jeremy Wright, said it was still possible the roll-out of 5G networks in Britain could be delayed by a review into telecoms equipment. “The primary intention of this process is to get the security of the network right,” he said. |
| Pompeo said the issue was not just a technical dispute, but a matter of profound geopolitical importance requiring an assessment in the round of an authoritarian regime that is integrated into the western economy in a way Russia had never been. | Pompeo said the issue was not just a technical dispute, but a matter of profound geopolitical importance requiring an assessment in the round of an authoritarian regime that is integrated into the western economy in a way Russia had never been. |
| He said Britain had to be “vigilant and vocal against a host of Chinese activities that undermine the sovereignty of all nations”. | He said Britain had to be “vigilant and vocal against a host of Chinese activities that undermine the sovereignty of all nations”. |
| Pompeo said the Arctic north must not go the same way as the South China Sea, and hit out at the way China used the corruption and debt-trap diplomacy inherent in the Belt and Road scheme to drag countries into its orbit. | Pompeo said the Arctic north must not go the same way as the South China Sea, and hit out at the way China used the corruption and debt-trap diplomacy inherent in the Belt and Road scheme to drag countries into its orbit. |
| “China peddles corrupt infrastructure deals in exchange for political influence,” he said. “Its bribe-fuelled debt-trap diplomacy undermines good governance and threatens to upend the free market economic model on which so many countries depend.” | “China peddles corrupt infrastructure deals in exchange for political influence,” he said. “Its bribe-fuelled debt-trap diplomacy undermines good governance and threatens to upend the free market economic model on which so many countries depend.” |
| Despite the differences in the special relationship, he vowed the UK would be at the front of the queue for any free trade deal if it left the EU. He wished the UK “godspeed” in reaching a decision, adding the US would back whatever conclusion was finally reached. | Despite the differences in the special relationship, he vowed the UK would be at the front of the queue for any free trade deal if it left the EU. He wished the UK “godspeed” in reaching a decision, adding the US would back whatever conclusion was finally reached. |
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