Germany intends to ban telecoms operators from utilizing certain elements made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in 5G networks, a state source said, in a potentially important move to manage protection crises.
The German prohibition could contain components already assembled into the networks, needing operators to remove and replace them, German media reported on Monday, mentioning sources.
A spokesperson for the interior ministry assured that the German government, which is amid a wider re-evaluation of its association with top trade partner China, was carrying out a public review of telecoms tech suppliers. No operators had however yet been banned from using certain components from Chinese companies in their 5G networks, the spokesperson said.
“The main change is that these strict checks for potential security risks now also apply to the existing components in telecommunications networks,” the spokesperson said, adding that operators would not be compensated for parts that needed to be ripped out of the network and replaced.
An interior ministry report on the review acquired by Reuters said that a specific supplier could be banned from delivering necessary components if it were deemed to be directly or indirectly held by the government of another state.
This is a sign that the German government may finally be taking China-related risks to national security seriously. But after years of dithering, the German 5G network is deeply dependent on Chinese suppliers. It will take many years to unwind this.”
Noah Barkin-managing editor with research firm Rhodium Group’s China practice which specializes in German-Chinese relations.
Analysts of Huawei and ZTE say that their immediate ties to Beijing’s security services mean that implanting them in the universal mobile networks of the future could give Chinese spies and even saboteurs access to critical infrastructure.
Huawei, ZTE, and China’s government deny these claims, saying that they are inspired by a protectionist urge to defend non-Chinese rivals.
A Huawei spokesperson said it did not comment on the assumption and said it had a “very good security record” during its 20 years of providing technology to Germany and the rest of the world. A ZTE spokesperson said no evidence had been produced to indicate its products were doubtful but it greeted exterior scrutiny.
