Reports over recent days attribute the project to the UK and US, which are said to be collaborating on the creation of a “5G club”, the membership of which will echo that of the G7.
In the US, telcos are banned from buying Huawei equipment and new regulations mean foreign manufacturers using US chipmaking equipment will require a licence to sell semi-conductors to Huawei.
In the UK, despite earlier promises that its involvement in the UK’s 5G infrastructure would be capped at 35%, the National Cyber Security Centre launched a review of the government’s decision at the end of May.
Huawei has said such actions “undermine the world telecoms” industry.
The G7 is composed of the seven largest IMF-advanced economies in the world, but China – which is a G20 nation – does not make the grade. This has caused tensions in Beijing for a number of years, but these were no doubt exasperated this week when Donald Trump revealed plans to create “a G10 or G11” group.
Kick-starting the process, Trump has extended invitations for the next G7 summit – scheduled to be held in the US in September – to non-member nations Australia, India, South Korea and Russia.
Despite the UK and Canada opposing the move – and German chancellor Angela Merkel declining to attend the summit – the expanded group will look to develop a rival to Huawei, capable of producing the technology needed for national 5G infrastructure.
According to reports from the UK, the group’s strategy will call on all member nations of the group to channel funds to the project.
