We need to talk about Huawei: Europe debates ban on Chinese tech giant over fears of back doors in 5G networks
- Countries weigh risk of Beijing building back doors into European 5G networks but telecom firms urge restraint
The debate over what to do about Huawei has intensified across Europe, as companies and governments draft plans to tackle alleged security threats posed by Chinese technology firms.
But while European Union officials, and some member states, have heeded US warnings that Huawei may be a back door for Chinese spying on the West, major European telecoms firms reliant on the company’s products have called for caution on banning Chinese suppliers.
According to one European diplomat, Europeans had once been comfortable sharing technology with a much less-advanced China but had grown wary in recent decades as the country rapidly honed its technological edge.
This is particularly the case in 5G telecommunications, where Chinese tech giants such as Huawei are contending to supply infrastructure.
The source said Germany was one of several European countries still weighing whether to ban Chinese companies from telecom development, as more EU countries set high bars on Chinese suppliers.