If it was built under a volcano, Huawei’s HQ would have almost everything to make it the perfect James Bond villain’s lair.

Tightly guarded, the inhabitants rabidly loyal, the sprawling campus of the controversial Chinese telecoms firm is so isolated that the only way in is by the company’s own tolled motorway.

Around 60,000 work in the one-mile-square complex, many also living there and rarely leave the remote facility.

Until this week, the name Huawei was mostly seen only in phone shops.

But now it’s at the centre of a huge political storm over allegations sacked Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson leaked secret discussions about allowing it to take a leading role in UK telecoms.

Critics say that while this would not be quite like letting the Communist Chinese into our front rooms, it would certainly allow them to eavesdrop on everything going on.

Of course, Huawei’s 74-year-old founder Ren Zhengfei denies all this strenuously – and does it without stroking a Blofeld-style white cat.

Patriotic red flags adorn the desks in the complex (
Image:
Daily Mirror)

This is probably the time to mention that not only is Zhengfei a former Red Army soldier, one of Huawei’s earliest contracts was to provide telecoms for the People’s Liberation Army.

Zhou Daiqi, the company’s chief ethics and compliance officer, is also head of the Huawei branch of the Chinese Communist Party.

And China is a country where, by law, a company cannot refuse to help the party spy on other nations.

The UK political storm blew up after it emerged Huawei has reportedly won permission to help build our new 5G network – with PM Theresa May giving the go ahead despite warnings from her Home, Defence and Foreign Secretaries, and the UK’s closest allies.

170 countries sell Huawei products and their annual revenue is $100bn (
Image:
Daily Mirror)

But one British researcher who visited Huawei’ HQ in Shenzhen is “deeply troubled” at the prospect of the firm helping build our cyber network. He said: “I wasn’t allowed anywhere on my own and had a minder the whole time.

“They were very cagey about me taking photos of certain places. It was similar to Chinese government buildings I’ve visited. Every desk had a party flag and Chinese flag.

“Clearly, the party comes first. So in any situation needing a decision it will always be in the best interests of the party, not those of the clients.

“I saw some tall African guys in traditional dress and asked who they were.

“I was told they were from Sudan, Mali and Ethiopia buying new phone systems. At that time Sudan was under sanctions, its people under a very oppressive regime, yet Huawei were treating their leaders like VIPs.”

The researcher said it was shocking the UK had decided to award the 5G contract.

Huawei was founded in 1987 and today it has 180,000 employees (
Image:
Daily Mirror)

He added: “I can’t believe what Theresa May is doing. From what I saw, signing a deal with China is basically signing the UK’s secrets away.”

UK links with Huawei go back to 2005 when BT signed a supply con­­tract.

When the researcher visited the Chinese HQ, the BT logo was plain to see. But even BT confirmed last year it is removing Huawei equipment from key areas following concerns.

Huawei – the name translates as “China is able” – has grown from nothing 30 years ago to an annual revenue of about £76billion last year.

That was when it became the second biggest seller of smartphones – flogging 200million worldwide, behind Samsung but ahead of Apple.

It is already contracted to build 40 5G networks around the world and owner Zhengfei is said to be the world’s 83rd richest man worth over £3billion.

The company canteen keeps the hard-working staff well-fed (
Image:
Daily Mirror)

This unbelievable growth has caused many to speculate on whether Huawei is a front for the China’s plans to expand its world influence.

With the country now the leading source of cyber attacks, analysts have warned Beijing may be using Huawei to spy on competitors and steal intellectual property.

It could even, once in control of its systems, shut down a foreign power’s infrastructure.

Last week the US warned involving Huawei in our 5G network risked giving China a “loaded gun”. When he meets Theresa May next Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will again warn of the threat.

He recently warned the US would not be able to share intelligence with a country using Huawei systems.

The plant has its very own university (
Image:
Daily Mirror)

In fact, three of the so-called “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing community – America, Australia and New Zealand – have banned Huawei from their 5G networks.

Canada is reviewing its relationship. Each cites evidence the company may use its technology to sabotage or spy on their citizens and governments, including the discovery of “hidden backdoors” which could enable China to spy on people in their homes and workplaces.

A senior security source said “It is highly worrying that the deal with Huawei could erode the Five Eyes alliance.

“Despite assurances from the PM, it is asking an awful lot for people to separate the Chinese State and its intelligence agencies from a high profile com­­mun­­ications company with close links to both.”

Last week it was reported Vodafone had found “hidden back doors” in Huawei equipment that “could have given unauthorised access to the fixed-line network in Italy”.

Chinese leader President Xi, left, with Huawai's President Ren Zhengfei (
Image:
Getty)

In January US prosecutors charged Huawei with stealing tech­­nology after an employee sneaked into a T-Mobile testing lab, put a robotic arm in his bag, and walked out.

Last December founder Zhengfei’s daugh­­ter, the company’s finance chief, was arrested in Canada on suspicion of breaking US sanctions on Iran. She is now awaiting extradited to the US.

In what was seen as an act of retaliation, China sentenced two Canadians to death on drugs charges.

It is perhaps no wonder, then, that our security services have long warned the government of the huge risks of allowing Huawei to have anything to do with communications systems.

Warnings which Theresa May has clearly failed to heed.