Published 11:58 IST, June 10th 2020
As China threatens UK of breaking business commitments; US comes to ally's rescue
USA has come to Britain's defence after reportedly China threatened to punish British Bank, HSBC & others unless London allows Huawei to build its 5G network
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In its latest act of aggression against countries questioning its role in the handling of the Coronavirus pandemic and Hong Kong issue, China has reportedly threatened to punish British bank, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), and to break commitments to build nuclear power plants in the United Kingdom unless London allows Huawei to build its 5G network.
According to media reports, Huawei has filed over 3,100 patents for 5G tech and claims to have secured over 90 contracts for 5G installations globally. Despite its successes, Huawei faces significant pushback from governments in the EU, the U.K., and, particularly, the U.S.
America comes to Britain's rescue
The United States, however, has come to UK's defence and has slammed China's tactics, saying the nation's browbeating of London-headquartered HSBC bank to pressurise the UK for its projects should serve as a cautionary tale.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement said Shenzhen-based Huawei is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance state. "The US stands with its allies and partners against the Chinese Communist Party's coercive bullying tactics. The Chinese Communist Party's browbeating of HSBC, in particular, should serve as a cautionary tale,” Pompeo said.
"Just last week, the bank’s Asia-Pacific CEO, Peter Wong, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, signed a petition supporting Beijing’s disastrous decision to destroy Hong Kong's autonomy and to break commitments made in an UN-registered treaty,” Pompeo said.
'Free nations deal in true friendship'
"That show of fealty seems to have earned HSBC little respect in Beijing, which continues to use the bank’s business in China as political leverage against London," he said. Pompeo said that Beijing’s aggressive behaviour shows why countries should avoid economic overreliance on China and should guard their critical infrastructure from the Chinese Communist Party's influence.
"The United States stands ready to assist our friends in the UK with any needs they have, from building secure and reliable nuclear power plants to developing trusted 5G solutions that protect their citizens’ privacy. Free nations deal in true friendship and desire mutual prosperity, not political and corporate kowtows,” he said.
Countries like Australia, Denmark, and others have recently faced pressure from President Xi Jinping's Communist government's interests to bow to China's political wishes, the statement added. China is also facing increasing criticism worldwide over a planned security law for Hong Kong, which would make it a crime to undermine Beijing's authority.
(With PTI inputs)
11:58 IST, June 10th 2020