The European Union (EU) has urged more countries to ban Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE from their 5G networks, citing security concerns.
The EU said that there is "credible evidence" that the Chinese government could use Huawei and ZTE to spy on other countries, according to CNBC. The EU also said that the companies could be used to disrupt or disable 5G networks in times of conflict.
The EU developed a "5G cybersecurity toolbox" in January 2020 to detect the dangers associated with including particular 5G infrastructure providers in its rollout. As occurred at the same time, several nations, including the U.K., decided to forbid Huawei because of security concerns.
Only 10 EU nations have restricted or outright barred Huawei from using their 5G networks.
The Security of Chinese Companies
The EU's call for a ban on Huawei and ZTE comes as the United States and other countries have also raised concerns about the security of the Chinese companies. The United States has banned Huawei from its 5G networks, and the UK has restricted the company's access to its networks.
Huawei and ZTE have denied that they pose a security threat. The companies have said that they are independent of the Chinese government and that their products are safe and secure.
Bans Could Meet Resistance
The EU's call for a ban on Huawei and ZTE will likely be met with resistance from some countries. China has warned that it will retaliate against any country that bans the companies.
Despite the risks, some countries may be reluctant to ban Huawei and ZTE because of the cost of replacing their equipment. Huawei and ZTE are the two leading suppliers of 5G equipment, and their products are often cheaper than those of other companies.
The ban on Huawei and ZTE is a significant development in the global debate over the security of 5G networks. How many countries will heed the EU's call and ban the Chinese companies remains to be seen.
In order to replace Huawei as the supplier of infrastructure for their mobile networks, operators have struggled. Industry insiders claim that Huawei's technology is frequently more sophisticated and less expensive than that of competitors Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung.
The bans on Chinese telecom companies have been met with mixed reactions. Some countries have said that the bans are necessary to protect their national security, while others have said that the bans are discriminatory and that they will harm the global economy.
These will likely continue to be a source of tension between China and the West.
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