By
N. Peter Kramer
Germany and Britain are preparing for auctions for 5G, the superfast service that will enable a new generation of digital products and services. Huawei*, the Chinese telecoms giant, has been seen as the frontrunner to build the 5G networks in both countries, where it has conducted already 5G tests.
Now, Britain and Germany are growing wary of allowing Huawei, the world’s biggest telecoms equipment supplier, to install 5G equipment in their countries after a delegation of the US Government visited Europe with the message to urge heightened vigilance against national security threats. Is President Trump’s trade war with China reaching out to Europe?
UK security officials issued a new public warning to Huawei, saying the Chinese company must fix problems in the equipment it provides to British networks or risk a further deterioration in an increasingly strained relationship. This warning came straight after receiving the message from the American ally that the security of their telecoms networks and supply chains must be safeguard.
The suggestion the UK is hardening their stance in response to pressure from the US is denied by them; insisting that the concerns are not based on Huawei’s Chinese origins. Huawei’s comment was: ‘We are grateful for the feedback and committed to addressing these issues. Cyber security remains Huawei’s top priority’.
In Germany, officials said, that after the visit of the US delegation, the mood in the government was also growing wary of Huawei’s potential involvement in the country’s 5G network.
*Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., a Chinese multinational, is the largest telecommunication equipment and consumer electronics company in the world. It was founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, an ex-military officer, as a private company, in Shenzhen, Guangdong, South China. Huawei is now active in 170 countries in the world.
