AlwaysFree: Germany Plans To Ban Some Chinese 5G Components

• Zeit says operators face bans on using some Huawei, ZTE parts
• Ban will unwind a compromise dating back to the Merkel era

According to Bloomberg article published on March 7, 2023, Germany plans to ban some Chinese components in the country’s fifth-generation wireless network, the Zeit newspaper reported, as heightened geopolitical tensions push lawmakers to unwind an Angela Merkel-era compromise.

Operators will be banned from using certain parts produced by Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp., Zeit said, citing unidentified people in the government. 

“Restrictions of an always reliable manufacturer with a very good security record are certainly not part of making infrastructures more secure,” Patrick Berger, a Huawei spokesman in Germany, said by email. 

A German Interior Ministry spokesman declined to comment on the report, and a spokesperson for ZTE did not immediately comment.

Berlin is taking a harder line on critical network infrastructure after the government said last month it doesn’t know how prevalent Chinese equipment is in its mobile systems. The move comes as the US is reviewing existing licenses for exporting items to Huawei due to national security concerns.

The US, UK and European Union have become increasingly focused on security risks posed by Chinese companies. The European Commission last month banned staff from using TikTok on official phones after the US Congress restricted the use of the app on federal devices last year. 

Unlike many EU countries, Germany originally avoided an outright ban of Huawei 5G technology in the face of US pressure to cut out Chinese infrastructure providers. Instead, the government decided all components for the 5G network deemed “critical IT infrastructure” need to be certified by the authorities.

The decision to ban some components comes as pressure on Berlin to act has steadily increased. In November, the EU’s competition chief Margrethe Vestager said countries need to phase out the use of high-risk 5G suppliers “as a matter of urgency.” 

The US has spearheaded efforts dating back to the Trump administration to limit Huawei’s reach based on security grounds. Huawei is already subject to US trade restrictions and a group of senators including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have proposed legislation that could cut off its access to US financing.

EU countries including Sweden, Bulgaria and and Greece have limited Huawei’s role in their 5G infrastructure. But the bloc’s “toolbox” to enable countries to stop using risky vendors is non-binding and allows countries and businesses to set their own policy.

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