NEW laws on foreign investment in the UK will block Chinese firm Huawei from sensitive state projects, The Sun can reveal.

The tech giant is among a handful of firms to have developed the next generation of mobile internet — known as 5G.

2 Tech giant Huawei is one a handful of companies which have developed 5G Credit: Alamy

But Sun columnist James Forsyth today reveals that senior Cabinet ministers and Britain’s most senior civil servant Mark Sedwill fear Huawei’s involvement in such critical infrastructure could jeopardise national security.

They are planning reforms to allow the Government to ban Chinese firms like Huawei from future involvement in “strategically significant” UK tech projects.

The changes will be pushed through among laws that Britain needs to pass after Brexit to replace EU rules on public procurement.

There are widespread concerns allowing the firm an inside track on the rollout of 5G in Britain and would let China spy on private lives and hack UK companies at will.

COULD JEOPARDISE UK NATIONAL SECURITY

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson are among those concerned about the Chinese firm’s reach.

There are also worries that failure to clamp down on Chinese involvement in public sector could alienate the other members of the key Five Eyes partnership — a vital intelligence network made up of the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

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Forsyth reports that the US is particularly keen for the UK to limit Chinese technology investment.

A senior government source said: “All Five Eyes partners have to face the same way.

“You’re going to have the choice of being a technical collaborator with the US, or with China.

"You’re not going to be able to do both.”

Q&A: What will move mean? WHAT is Huawei? Huawei is a Chinese electronics company. In August it overtook Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone seller behind Samsung, flogging 54.2million phones. WHY is the Government worried? A new law in China requires all firms, organisations, and citizens to assist that state’s spy agencies. WHO has blocked the company? The US, New Zealand and Australia have placed extra restrictions on the use of Huawei's equipment in the rollout of some future 5G networks. In the UK, BT confirmed it is removing Huawei equipment from key areas of its 4G network after MI6 expressed concerns for national security. However, BT denied the move was anything to do with security concerns. WILL this affect the rollout? It will be hard for carriers such as Vodafone and O2 to secure lucrative government contracts if they are using Huawei gear. It could also mean prices rises and possibly delays. WHAT has China said? Officials have warned of a negative effect on international business.

2 Senior civil servant Mark Sedwill believes Huawei's 5G roll out could be a threat to national security