Germany has revealed that it does not plan to exclude Chinese telecom giant Huawei from its 5G rollout so long as it complies with national security requirements.
Jochen Homann, The president of the country’s telecommunications regulator Bundesnetzagentur, told the Financial Times, “The position the Bundesnerzagentur takes is that no equipment supplier, including Huawei, should, or may, be specifically excluded.”
He also stated that the agency still has not been provided with evidence of the so-called security risk that Huawei imposes. He also added that if Huawei meets their security requirements, it will be able to partake in the 5G technology rollout in Germany.
The US has previously accused Huawei of being linked to the Chinese government and that their equipment would enable espionage with China. As a result, the US has banned Huawei from selling or setting up 5G networking equipment in the US. Japan, Australia and New Zealand have followed suit, while Huawei claims that the US’s security concerns are false.
So far, the EU has ignored the US’s claims against Huawei and its call for every country considering 5G rollout to ban their equipment. The UK however, has acknowledge the so-called ‘security risks’ but has not gone as far as banning the firm’s equipment altogether.
Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei told CNBC that the firm plans to comply with EU cybersecurity standards and laws.
“Germany proposed the establishment of a unified global convention that would bar all equipment vendors from installing backdoors, and require them to sign a no-spy agreement,” said Zhengfei in reference to the prospect of a “no spy” agreement between Beijing and Berlin.
He added, “We endorse unified global standards that make installing backdoors a crime.. we want to sign such an agreement because we think it’s the right thing to do.”
Over the next five years, Huawei plans to invest over $100 billion in developing 5G technology. “We will build the simplest networks, ensure cyber security, and protect user privacy.”
Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US warned Germany that it would minimize intelligence-sharing with them if they allow Huawei to partake in the development of their 5G infrastructure.
