Germany’s tough stance on China: Country to ban Huawei and ZTE from new 5G networks

According to the German newspaper Zeit Online, the government intends to prohibit telecom carriers from using certain components from Chinese firms Huawei Technologies and ZTE in their 5G networks.

According to Zeit Online, citing government sources, the prohibition could include components already integrated into networks, forcing operators to dismantle and replace them.

China is a major tech partner for many German businesses
The administration, which is presently re-evaluating its relationship with major trade partner China, did not respond quickly to a request for comment. However, a source verified the story to Reuters.

Critics of Huawei and ZTE argue that their close ties to China’s security services mean that incorporating them in future omnipresent mobile networks could give Chinese agents and even saboteurs access to vast swaths of critical infrastructure.

Huawei, ZTE, and the Chinese government all deny these allegations, claiming they are driven by a protectionist wish to promote non-Chinese competitors.

A Huawei representative said the company would not comment on rumours about a potential prohibition on the use of specific components, but added that the company has a “very excellent security record” in its 20 years of providing technology to Germany and the rest of the world. ZTE did not respond quickly to a request for comment.

Germany start taking a tough stance on China from 2021
Germany enacted an IT security legislation in 2021 that imposes stringent requirements on manufacturers of telecommunications equipment for next-generation networks while refraining from outright prohibiting Huawei and ZTE, as some other countries have.

According to a recent report, Germany has become even more reliant on Huawei for its 5G radio access network equipment (RAN) than it was for its 4G network, despite the fact that operators have shunned using the firm’s technology for key networks.

Germany increases investigative efforts to root out Chinese components
According to Zeit Online, the German government’s cybersecurity office and the interior minister have been investigating whether there are components in the growing 5G networks that could jeopardise German security for months.

The report and investigation had not yet been formally concluded, but the results were already known, according to the paper, which cited government sources.

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