Germany To Phase Out China's Huawei, ZTE Components From Its 5G Network

Germany will phase out components made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE from its 5G wireless network over the next five years, CNN reported.

Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said, "In this way, we are protecting the central nervous systems of Germany as a business location – and we are protecting the communication of citizens, companies and the state."

She further said, "We must reduce security risks and, unlike in the past, avoid one-sided dependencies," CNN reported.

In the statement, the German government also stressed the importance of "secure and resilient telecommunications infrastructure," considering the "dangers of sabotage and espionage."

It further said, "In order to avoid critical vulnerabilities and dependencies, trustworthy manufacturers must therefore be relied upon."

Mobile network operators including Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica have agreed to remove the components made by Huawei and ZTE from their 5G "core networks" which are connected to the internet and operate as control centers by the end of 2026.

In addition, these components must be purged from "access and transport networks" including the physical parts of the 5G network like transmission lines and towers by the end of 2029.

In a statement to CNN, Huawei said that "there is no specific evidence or scenario" that its technology has cybersecurity risks.

It further said, "We will continue to cooperate with customers and partners in a constructive and open manner, promote the improvement and progress of cybersecurity, and promote the construction of mobile networks and digitalization in Germany."

Meanwhile, Chinese Embassy in Germany has vowed to take "necessary measures" to safeguard the interests of Chinese companies.

In a statement, Chinese Embassy in Germany said that Berlin's move "seriously damages mutual trust between the two sides, and will also affect future cooperation between China and Europe in related fields."

The decision taken by Germany could further strain ties between two nations. Last week, Germany blocked the sale of a Volkswagen subsidiary to a Chinese state-owned company on national security grounds, a move criticised by China, CNN reported.

China is also involved in a trade spat with the European Union, which increased tariffs on Chinese electric cars in June.

On Thursday, China's Ministry for Foreign Affairs spokesperson said that "turning economic, trade and technological issues into politics will only disrupt normal technological exchanges."
Germany's decision comes after the US, UK, Australia and Japan effectively banned the company from building their 5G networks amid fears that Beijing could use Chinese tech companies to spy on their citizens.

Earlier in 2019, the US also included Huawei in its trade restriction list, which made it harder for the company to buy semiconductor chips from American suppliers. Those restrictions were further strengthened earlier this year. (ANI)