Huawei "would love" to renew its sponsorship of the Wellington Phoenix at the end of the season, but will need to see what the environment looks like, Huawei NZ deputy managing director Andrew Bowater says.

China's Huawei says it could invest millions of dollars in a "cybersecurity evaluation centre" that would be under the control of the Government Communications Security Bureau.

The lab could vet 5G and other equipment that Huawei and potentially other companies supplied to the country's telcos, Huawei NZ deputy managing director Andrew Bowater said.

But GCSB director-general Andrew Hampton responded coolly, appearing to indicate the offer might not be enough to allay its concerns about Huawei's involvement in the industry.

TOM PULLAR-STRECKER/STUFF Huawei NZ deputy managing director Andrew Bowater says a New Zealand cybersecurity evaluation centre would be a "significant" investment for the company.

Huawei's proposal would mirror its arrangements in Britain under which Huawei pays "tens of millions" for a laboratory to check equipment it supplies both to the UK and to New Zealand.

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The British Huawei Cybersecurity Evaluation Centre (HCSEC) is overseen by the British government's National Cyber Security Centre which appoints its key staff even though they are technically Huawei employees.

CZAREK SOKOLOWSKI/AP Huawei believes Spark is planning to see whether it can mitigate concerns raised by the GCSB over its plan to use 5G gear from Huawei, but Spark would not confirm that, saying no decision had been made.

"It could be we invest in one here. That could be something we put on the table," Bowater said.

But he said Huawei needed to be able to discuss that possibility with the GCSB and so far the spy agency had declined any dialogue with the company, which he said was disappointing.

Hampton said the GCSB was familiar with the work of HCSEC in Britain and confirmed it "engaged with it from time to time as part of our regulatory function".

CAMERON BURNELL/STUFF Government Communications Security Bureau director-general Andrew Hampton notes a report has identified limitations in the reassurances provided by a lab in Britain that is paid for by Hauwei but overseen by Britain's National Cyber Security Centre.

But he noted the centre's most recent annual report said its board could "provide only limited assurance that all risks to the United Kingdom's national security from Huawei's involvement in their critical networks have been sufficiently mitigated through HCSEC's operation".

Huawei is searching desperately for ways to mollify concerns that have been expressed in New Zealand and internationally about its possible involvement in building 5G phone networks.

In November, the GCSB declined an application by Spark that would have seen Spark use Huawei technology to upgrade its mobile network to 5G.

SEAN GALLUP/GETTY Huawei has warned it could pull back from western countries if it continues to face obstacles.

Bowater said he understood Spark did intend to go back to the GCSB "in the coming weeks" to see whether there were ways it could address the GCSB's concerns about Spark's original proposal to use Huawei gear for 5G.

But Spark spokeswoman Michelle Baguley would not confirm that, saying it had not made any firm decision and did not expect to "for some time".

Bowater was visiting Wellington where he was planning to meet with the Wellington Phoenix football club.

Huawei's sponsorship of the club is up for renewal at the end of this season.

Ironically, Huawei's troubles have coincided with a revival in the fortunes of the team, which has been unbeaten for nine games.

Bowater said Huawei "would love" to retain the sponsorship but it needed to see what the environment would be like.

"They have been a really good partner for us."

Huawei chairman Liang Hua told the World Economic Forum in Davos that it might shift away from Western countries if it continued to face restrictions, the BBC reported.

Bowater has previously suggested that Huawei could commit to using "100 per cent New Zealanders" – in place of Chinese citizens or expats – to install 5G equipment in New Zealand.

That offer was made to mitigate concerns about China's National Intelligence Law, which has been interpreted as requiring all Chinese citizens and companies to assist Chinese authorities in conducting espionage if requested.

Bowater said that if Huawei also paid for a cybersecurity evaluation centre in New Zealand it could become a "hub" to test equipment used by other countries, and equipment provided by other vendors.

"There are very few places in the world that are capable of doing that work – that is why we had to pay for one in the UK."

The equipment used to deliver 5G in New Zealand and around the would be made in China, regardless of whether it was supplied by Huawei, Bowater said.

"Obviously we are a Chinese-headquartered company and our manufacturing is done there, but our competitors also manufacture in China."

Nokia had a joint venture in China, Nokia Shanghai Bell, he noted.

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