Opinion | While weighing 5G security risks, France predicts it can manage Huawei without banning it

Many in China mistakenly think that states place security restrictions on Huawei as a courtesy to the United States.

France provides an interesting case of a Western country outside the five-eyes intelligence sharing arrangement that takes network security seriously and for years has taken steps to reduce its vulnerabilities to foreign intelligence collection and the risk of sabotage. It is also an example of seeking a balance between refusing a Huawei ban but working to create a regulatory environment to manage risks.

France has a security “deep state”, which conducts independent assessment of the domestic threat environment, prioritising foreign espionage and terrorist risks. The security of information systems is a government priority.

In that sense the current 5G debate is in perfect continuity with earlier discussions that had received little public attention. Restrictions were already placed on Huawei when constructing 4G networks. Huawei did not build the core networks, it only provided antennas on the edge. Its presence in the network infrastructure in the Paris region was also restricted.

5G infrastructure poses more complex problems. The distinction between core and edge is no longer as relevant, as many software operations will operate in the cloud.

The security challenge is not purely about the protection of private data, it is also about managing sabotage risks. 5G will be the basic infrastructure for a range of industrial applications and a new wave of modernisation of public services, and no state wants to create vulnerabilities that could be exploited during international tensions.