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Germany’s Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, has urged telecoms providers to shift away from using equipment from Chinese tech giant Huawei if it poses security risks. Faeser highlighted that German security authorities have long warned against dependencies on a single provider. As Europe’s largest economy, Germany relies heavily on Chinese telecoms networks, which has previously caused tensions with Washington and other security officials.

In response, the German government has implemented new security checks on Chinese technology in telecoms networks. The Ministry announced in March that it would evaluate all components with security implications from Chinese suppliers Huawei and ZTE. This move was driven, in part, by concerns about a little-known piece of Huawei technology that controls power consumption. The government is currently in the process of assessing the risks associated with these components and plans to ban any with serious security risks.

However, major telecoms providers like Deutsche Telekom have expressed resistance to restrictions on Huawei equipment. They argue that excluding Chinese vendors could significantly increase the cost of building and maintaining networks. Deutsche Telekom has already taken steps to remove Huawei from its core network and emphasizes its multi-vendor strategy in technology purchases.

Faeser dismissed cost concerns and emphasized that network operators must take action if serious security risks exist. Her statements align with the European Commission’s call to member countries to address the risks posed by Chinese 5G vendors. The Commission stated that most EU countries have either implemented or are preparing legislative measures to allow security services to block contracts with foreign suppliers. However, only ten countries have imposed such restrictions thus far.

Faeser also emphasized the need for increased cooperation between cybersecurity watchdogs, particularly when addressing concerns of economic espionage by China. Close networking between security authorities is crucial in combating these risks.

In conclusion, the German government is taking steps to reduce reliance on Chinese 5G equipment due to security concerns. They are implementing new security checks, and the Interior Minister has called on providers to pivot away from Huawei. The European Commission has also highlighted the higher risks associated with Chinese 5G kit and urged member countries to take action.

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