Beijing, Aug 3 (IANS): A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday called on the UK to make an independent choice on whether to include Huawei in Britain's 5G telecoms network.

"We hope that the British side will adopt an objective and fair attitude and make an independent choice that serves its own interests," Hua Chunying told a press briefing when answering questions about former British Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright's remarks on Huawei last month, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Huawei's investment in Britain has surpassed 2 billion pounds with an employment of over 10,000 people, Hua said, noting that the Chinese telecoms company has established a joint research centre in Britain and is active in performing its corporate social responsibility.

Hua said an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment is crucial for Chinese companies to maintain confidence and expectations on investing in Britain.

Responding to questions about whether HSBC will be included in a "list of unreliable entities" by the Chinese government for its investigation into Huawei in proactive cooperation with the US government, Hua said the list is still undergoing relevant procedures.

China welcomes foreign investment in the country and will continue to protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign companies. "Meanwhile, any company's operation in China must be legal," Hua said, noting that violations will be addressed in accordance with the law.