The head of the Government’s Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has said the challenge of China’s emerging dominance as a global technology provider is much greater than Huawei’s involvement in 5G telecoms networks.

Speaking in Singapore, Jeremy Fleming said that the speed of technological change was generating risk and security challenges for governments around the world.

Chinese telecoms provider Huawei has clashed repeatedly with the US government after it raised concerns that widespread use of its infrastructure in national 5G networks could open up back doors to spying by the Chinese government and has advised its allies in the ‘Five Eyes’ security network against integrating their hardware.

Huawei has vigorously denied the accusations. On Sunday, the company’s chairman Guo Ping stated that it would never allow its equipment to be used for spying.

It was also reported last week that UK security services have concluded that they have the ability to mitigate risks posed by the use of Huawei-made components in the development of 5G networks.

“The strategic challenge of China’s place in the era of globalized technology is much bigger than just one telecommunications equipment company,” said Fleming, in comments reported by Reuters.

Fleming explained that high-speed 5G internet connectivity was a “revolutionary” technology, adding that it would be “one of the most important and impactful technologies of this or any era”.

Calling for diversity and greater competition amongst suppliers of 5G infrastructure, he said: “A market consolidated to such an extent that there are only a tiny number of viable options will not make for good cyber security.

“That’s regardless of whether those options are Western, Chinese, or from somewhere else.”

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