The US government has sought to press its allies to stop using equipment developed by Huawei, the Chinese telecom company with links to the country's military, amid spying fears.

US officials have contacted the governments of friendly nations including Japan, Italy and Germany to warn them about alleged risk of using Huawei devices. They are also thought to have contacted counterparts in Britain.

Huawei is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of telecom equipment, including the network kit required for next generation 5G mobile networks, which are now being rolled out globally.

Based in Shenzen, Huawei was founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, a former engineer in the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The company's devices are rarely used in US government departments amid persistent concerns over Huawei's links to the Chinese government and the potential that its hardware could be used for espionage.

The US has considered boosting financial aid for technology development in countries that avoid using computer hardware made in China. The threat of possible espionage using Huawei network gear is thought to be a particular concern in countries that host US military bases, according to a report first published in the Wall Street Journal.

Six US military bases operate in the UK, including RAF Menwith Hill in Yorkshire, a communications interception base which is run by US staff.

On Friday night, the Cabinet Office did not deny being contacted by the US government about the use of Huawei equipment. "We have a clear policy on the use of Huawei equipment in critical UK networks and this has not changed," a government spokesman said.

"This government and British telecoms operators work with Huawei at home and abroad to ensure the UK can continue to benefit from new technology while managing cyber security risks," he added.

In May, the Pentagon banned retail outlets on US military bases from selling smartphones produced by Huawei and ZTE, another Chinese manufacturer.

British spies warned earlier this year that the UK’s phone and internet network is at risk due to its continued reliance on products made by Huawei.

A report written by the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC) found that the “identification of shortcomings in Huawei’s engineering processes have exposed new risks in the UK telecommunication networks and long-term challenges in mitigation and management”.

Previous reports into Huawei’s technology by the British government found that any national security risks “had been mitigated.”

Earlier this year, UK companies signed £3bn worth of contracts with Huawei following Theresa May’s trade trip to China.

British spies work with Huawei in a site known as “The Cell” in order to monitor potential threats to the business’ products. Huawei staff at the facility are overseen by employees of the National Cyber Security Centre, a wing of spy agency GCHQ.

Huawei has consistently denied that its products have been compromised or used for espionage, but the business has become a central issue in the growing trade war between the US and China.