Germany plans to gradually remove Huawei and ZTE components from its 5G network over the next five years, a decision that may increase tensions with China.
By the end of 2026, major mobile network operators in Germany such as Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and Telefonica have pledged to remove the components from the core networks of their 5G infrastructure, which are responsible for internet connectivity and control functions.
In a statement released on July 11, 2024, Germany’s Interior Ministry, said the government’s decision to restrict the use of certain telecommunications equipment from specific vendors, is a national security advice.
“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,” the statement said. “We must reduce security risks and, unlike in the past, avoid one-sided dependencies,” it added.
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It stressed the need for secured and resilient telecommunications infrastructure to protect against the threats of sabotage.
“To avoid critical vulnerabilities and dependencies, trustworthy manufacturers must therefore be relied upon,” it said.
According to Huawei in a statement available to CNN, Germany’s decision to restrict its telecommunications equipment is not accurate as there is no evidence of cybersecurity risks associated with its technology.
“There is no specific evidence or scenario. We will continue to cooperate with customers and partners constructively and openly, promote the improvement and progress of cybersecurity, and promote the construction of mobile networks and digitalization in Germany,” the company said.
Recently, Berlin cited national security concerns to prevent the sale of a Volkswagen subsidiary to a Chinese state-owned company, prompting a response from Beijing. Additionally, China is currently engaged in a trade dispute with the European Union, which imposed higher tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles last month.
However, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the politicization of economic and technological issues will harm normal technological exchanges and disrupt cooperation.
“Turning economic, trade, and technological issues into politics will only disrupt normal technological exchanges,” he said.
Germany has been slow to decide what to do about Huawei’s role in its 5G network. Other countries like the US, UK, Australia, and Japan have already kept Huawei out of their 5G networks because they’re worried China might use Huawei to spy on them.
The US added Huawei to the list in 2019 making it harder for the company to get important parts called semiconductor chips from American companies. The US made those rules even stricter earlier this year.
Last year, Huawei’s revenue from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa was 21% of its total revenue, according to the company’s annual report.
