Editor's note: Keith Lamb is a University of Oxford graduate with a MSc degree in Contemporary Chinese Studies. His primary research interests are the international relations of China and China's "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics." The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Huawei according to the British tabloid press are up to it again. Apparently, according to a secret report, these cunning commies are manipulating key figures in the British establishment to implement their plot to install Huawei into the UK's 5G infrastructure. 

Details of the report published in the Daily Mail claim Huawei targeted figures like Sir Mike Rake, the former chairman of BT and Lord Clement Jones, the spokesman for the Digital Economy. The plot thickens as apparently Huawei may want to get academics and politicians on their side too. 

This new report was headed and compiled by the former MI6 spy Christopher Steele who was the author of Trump's "dirty dossier" that claimed Trump snuggled up to President Vladimir Putin and accused Trump of cavorting with prostitutes. 

So far there has been no evidence to corroborate the dossier on Trump or Huawei. It is said that the Huawei report will not be publicly published. The report details how key figures targeted were duped into taking part in fake radio shows designed to sway their opinion on Huawei. Thus far, the accused have with some bewilderment denied this claim and Huawei strenuously rejects the claim too. 

However, let's imagine that they are true. Even then the story of recruiting agents in prominent positions and even possibly contacting politicians and academics just isn't scandalous in the least bit. It really is a matter of how you want to spin the story.

Diplomacy is in our modern-day characterized by not only government to government relationships but government with business too. Most states these days are not a closed object impenetrable to outsiders. Communication takes place in a network of individuals, institutions, and governments at all levels. It's quite natural that large corporations with huge resources have contacts with government agencies, experts, politicians, and the media. For full transparency, this author uses an iPhone.

To construct a communist conspiracy distorts what is normal into the fantastical. It's true that Huawei is a Chinese company and China is governed by the communist party. As such, the Communist Party of China will support its businesses but this is no different from how any other country works. 

When a large foreign company enters the Chinese market it too must negotiate with influential figures in China who have technical competencies, connections to government, and even figures within the government too. 

This could be construed as shady but it's simply what happens when global markets and sovereign states meet. When entering a new market in another state there must be cooperation, negotiation and persuasion. That requires talking to key figures and yes influencing them too. The days of opening markets with gunboat diplomacy or cruise missiles are hopefully a thing of the past.

Now, I'm not arguing for Britain to willy-nilly let Huawei in of course there needs to be security considerations but at present British experts deem Huawei's 5G technology to be a manageable threat. As long as this technical assessment doesn't change (and it doesn't alter because of unfounded political machinations) then the British establishment should stay rational and focus on the science. 

It seems China just can't do anything right. When they were exporting cheap products, they were getting stick for poor workmanship and tacky goods. Now they're finally producing something decent we fear it.

I see Huawei as a huge opportunity for the West. In some technologies, we've lost the lead. However, if we look at the China model it doesn't have to be like that forever and a day. With cooperation, we can catch up.

China had no qualms about importing and manufacturing high-tech Western goods. They caught up and surpassed the West in certain technologies due to technological exchange which was the price for entering the China market. China's manufacturers learned on the manufacturing line and the best Chinese talent worked within the Western IT industry.

We in the West can do the same. Our technicians and scientists now have the opportunity to cooperate and learn from Huawei and no doubt other Chinese companies in the future too. If we buy in bulk we can negotiate the sharing of certain technology. 

Figures in the West who do cooperate with Huawei should not be shamed or bullied by the tabloid press if cooperation is mutually beneficial. We have to accept that China was never going to satisfied sewing together clothes on a factory floor forever and a day. 

We in the West should be proud that China's technological competency has in part come about due cooperation with Western states. This cooperation must continue. More innovations will inevitably come out of China and we must be ready to learn from their advancements just as they have learned from our technological competence.

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