Almost £25 million of taxpayers’ money was paid over the past decade to a pro-China business group that criticised Boris Johnson’s decision to block Huawei from the UK’s 5G network.
The China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), a private company, is part-funded by the Department for International Trade.
Conservative MPs have expressed concern over the funding and a former minister called for it to be withdrawn.
After the government announced its move on 5G in July, CBBC said: “[We are] disappointed by the decision to block Huawei. This means that British homes and businesses will not benefit from Huawei’s market-leading and competitive products. CBBC believes that this decision is first and foremost a response to assertive US trade policy.”
The Sunday Times has also reported the CBBC
