China syndromeGermany warns Huawei to meet Germany’s security requirements
Germany warned Huawei that the company must meet Germany’s security requirements before the company will be allowed to bid on building the 5G infrastructure in Germany. Germany has so far resisted U.S. pressure to exclude Huawei from the project. The United States has long suspected Huawei of serving the interests of Chinese intelligence, and Washington has argued that Huawei technology could be used for spying purposes by China.
German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, on a visit to China, told Huawei’s CEO that the company must meet Germany’s security requirements. Germany has so far resisted U.S. pressure to ban Huawei from 5G deals.
During his three-day visit to China, Altmaier met with Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei in Shanghai on Friday.
“I made it very clear that telecommunication security is of high importance, that we expect all operators to fulfill our security requirements and that it is now Huawei’s duty to show us that they are able to do so,” Altmaier said in recorded comments after the meeting.
Germany has been holding out against U.S. pressure to ban Huawei from major communication infrastructure projects, including 5G network infrastructure. The United States has long suspected Huawei of serving the interests of Chinese intelligence, and Washington has argued that Huawei technology could be used for spying purposes by China.
Moreover, allowing a Chinese company tied to China’s intelligence service to build the German 5G infrastructure would probably give China the ability to take down this infrastructure if tensions arise in the future between Germany and China.
Huawei is the world’s largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment.
During an open discussion with students on Friday, Altmaier said companies that have submitted bids for Germany’s 5G technology would only be allowed to install components if they had security certificates.
“The safety of telecommunications in Germany, the protection of citizens’ data and the certainty of German law being adhered to,” were key elements in awarding the contracts, Altmaier said. The decisions would be taken on the basis of “clear security criteria through the certification of hardware and software.”
DW notes that Huawei already provides about 45 percent of Germany’s 4G base stations and is a leading supplier to phone companies.
Jochen Homann, the president of Germany’s Federal Network Agency, which regulates telecommunications as part of its brief, said recently that “Huawei holds a large number of patents in this area. If Huawei were excluded from the market, this would delay the roll-out of the digital networks.” He added: “if Huawei meets all the requirements, it can take part in the 5G network roll-out.”
