Chinese tech giant Huawei will be allowed to bid on UK telecoms projects after the National Cyber Security Centre ruled that the security risks posed are 'manageable'.
There have been growing concerns around the world that Huawei's 5G technology allows the Chinese government to use the company as a spying tool.
Although the National Cyber Security Centre has backed Huawei, it is not the final decision on its use in the UK. It will feed into a wider government review led by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. A final decision is expected to come in March or April.
Australia, New Zealand and most notably, the US, have all banned Huawei from supplying technology for 5G mobile networks when it is released for public use. Canada is also currently reviewing the company for security risks.
Despite the concerns, Huawei insists that no information is given to the Chinese government.
In an interview with the BBC, Huawei's cybersecurity chief John Suffolk, who is also the UK's former chief information officer, said:: "We are probably the most open and transparent organisation in the world. We are probably the most poked and prodded organisation too."
He added: "We don't say 'believe us' we say 'come and check for yourself', come and do your own testing and come and do your own verification.
"The more people looking, the more people touching, they can provide their own assurance without listening to what Huawei has to say."
Industry experts believe the National Cyber Security Centre's opinion will carry some weight on the government's final decision, but the DCMS could still rule against Huawei.
