As a decision on Huawei's participation in building the UK 5G network gets closer, US Government officials are stepping up the pressure on London to keep the Chinese telecoms giant out.

UK press reported that on January 13, officials from America's National Economic Council and National Security Agency were holding face-to-face talks with their UK counterparts in London. Deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger was expected to be one of the US officials taking part.

Just ahead of the visit, Andrew Parker, head of UK intelligence service MI5, said that he has “no reason to think” that the UK’s intelligence-sharing relationship with the US would be hit if the UK adopted Huawei 5G technology.

UK Minister for Security Brandon Lewis told the BBC on Sunday that a decision would be made “relatively soon.”

Elsewhere in Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has shown herself to be open to Huawei involvement in the 5G network, but there are moves in the country‘s parliament to block its participation.

The US has had more success with its position in Poland, which has put in place a set of rules which will give it the flexibility to exclude Huawei involvement in most parts of the country‘s 5G infrastructure.