China strongly opposes UK's Huawei ban: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, July 15 -- China is strongly opposed to the British government's decision to ban Huawei's involvement in 5G networks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Wednesday.

Hua made the remarks in response to a request for comment in a press briefing. The British government announced on Tuesday that purchase of new Huawei 5G equipment will be banned after Dec. 31, 2020, and all Huawei equipment will be removed from the country's 5G networks by the end of 2027.

Britain, in collaboration with the United States, discriminates against and excludes Chinese enterprises without any solid evidence of risks, Hua said.

The decision, which blatantly violates principles of market economy and free trade rules, as well as relevant commitments made by Britain, will seriously damage the legitimate interests of Chinese enterprises and the foundation of mutual trust in China-UK cooperation, said the spokesperson.

It is not a matter of an enterprise or an industry, rather, it is a matter of the UK's politicization of commercial and technological issues, Hua said, adding that the decision severely threatens the security of China's investment in Britain and raises concerns over whether China can maintain confidence in the openness, fairness, and non-discrimination of the British market.

With grave concern about the matter, China will make comprehensive and serious assessments, and take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, she stressed.