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| Should Huawei's equipment be treated as a national security risk? German government officials are mulling the question. Reuters |
By Jung Min-ho
The German government has come under pressure to exclude Chinese companies, including Huawei, from supplying equipment to its 5G network amid national security concerns.
According to Reuters' Wednesday report, senior officials are trying hard to convince decision makers to ban Chinese companies from taking part in 5G network deployments in Germany as the country plans to start its 5G auctions early next year.
The report came after the United States and Australia decided to block Huawei and ZTE from rolling out 5G technology on their wireless networks over cyber-espionage concerns. There have been reports that Japan and the United Kingdom are also considering the same move.
"There is serious concern. If it were up to me we would do what the Australians are doing," one senior German official involved in the internal 5G debate in Berlin was quoted as saying.
Officials at German foreign and interior ministries met their U.S. and Australian counterparts recently and shared their concerns about the risks of using Chinese equipment, according to the report.
Huawei has claimed that its equipment poses no security risks, but experts say governments are right to be cautious about allowing the company, which allegedly has close ties to the ruling Communist Party, to build and manage the next generation of wireless technology.
Legally, China's national intelligence law requires all organizations to support, cooperate with and collaborate in national intelligence work if they are asked to do so.
Politically, the Communist Party has and exerts enormous power over Chinese companies and people. It is no secret the Chinese government uses its companies and vast markets to act against foreign governments and companies whenever it feels necessary. Not long ago, it "retaliated" against the South Korean government by throttling its tourism industry over the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here ― known internationally as "THAAD revenge."
Experts warn that there is little reason to imagine that the party has changed and, when the time comes, Chinese companies will have no choice but to comply with the party's request.
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