China expressed strong dissatisfaction with media reports that the German government plans to ban the use of certain components from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in its 5G network.
The Chinese embassy in Berlin issued a statement on its website on the 7th (local time), saying that if the reports are true, “we are very embarrassed and strongly dissatisfied with (the German government’s) hasty decision.”
The previous day, Zeitonline, a German media outlet, reported citing local government sources that the scope of application of this ban may include parts already embedded in telecommunication networks, and that some telecom operators have to remove those parts and replace them with other parts.
The German government is said to be completely reexamining its relationship with China, its largest trading partner.
Chinese telecommunications equipment makers such as Huawei and ZTE are suspected of having close links with Chinese authorities. Some point out that if these devices are introduced to build a 5G communication network, Chinese spies and saboteurs can access the infrastructure communication network.
In 2021, Germany passed an information technology (IT) security law that requires strict qualifications for equipment manufacturers participating in the construction of next-generation communication networks, but did not ban the use of Huawei and ZTE parts like other Western countries such as the United States.
According to the latest report, Germany has become more reliant on Huawei technology for 5G radio access networks (RAN) than for 4G.
Zeitonline reports that the German government’s cybersecurity agency and the Ministry of the Interior have been checking the 5G network for several months for components that could endanger its security.
The investigation has not been formally concluded, but the German government is likely to ban telecom operators from using certain parts from Huawei and ZTE in their 5G networks, the media predicted.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.