“Primary focus has been to safeguard the health and well-being of employees and others while also recognizing responsibility to the industry and customers,” it added.

It follows Facebook and Intel as latest big tech firm to announce its withdrawal from the show, off the back of coronavirus concerns.

It normally attracts 100,000 people, including 6,000 from China.

Spanish media is reporting that trade body the GSMA, which organises MWC, will meet on Friday to decide whether to cancel the event entirely.