London: Britain must ban Huawei from building its 5G network or risk being cut out of future Five Eyes intelligence gathering operations, one of the UK's foremost China experts has warned.

Charles Parton, an associate fellow with the prestigious London-based defence think tank The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is recommending Britain maintain the same stance as its Five Eyes intelligence allies: Australia, the US and New Zealand in banning Huawei equipment from from its 5G networks.

A booth for Huawei at the PT Expo in Beijing last year. Credit:AP

The other Five Eyes member Canada is weighing up a ban. Britain is conducting a review before announcing its decision but this week The Financial Times reported that British intelligence had concluded the risk posed by Huawei potentially spying on behalf of Beijing could be mitigated, paving the way for Huawei to be allowed into Britain's 5G.

In his paper - China-UK relations: where to draw the border between influence and interference - Parton said this could carry serious consequences for Britain's future relationship with its Five Eyes partners.