More and more Western countries are rejecting the Chinese group’s 5G technology.
(Photo: dpa)
Ottawa The Canadian government is banning the two Chinese telecommunications equipment suppliers Huawei and ZTE from expanding the 5G mobile network. The technology of the two companies poses a risk to national security, argued Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.
The Chinese government condemned the move, accusing Canada of “political manipulation” and violating the “principles of a market economy and free trade”. The North American country must brace itself for retaliatory measures.
The government wants to “ensure the long-term security of our telecommunications infrastructure,” Champagne said. It intends to “ban the participation of Huawei and ZTE products and services in Canada’s telecommunications systems,” said the industry minister, who announced the measure along with Security Minister Marco Mendicino.
It is not only the future use of products from these two companies that is prohibited. Canadian telcos will also be required to remove products already used in the 5G network rollout by June 28, 2024. Huawei and ZTE equipment must also be removed from the 4G network, but the deadline for this is the end of 2027. The government’s steps would “secure our network for generations to come,” said Champagne. “It’s about our national security, about our telecommunications infrastructure.”
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Champagne emphasized that the decision was made after consultation with the closest allies. Canada is thus following its partner countries USA, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, which have already excluded Huawei from the 5G expansion or severely restricted its participation.
These five countries work together as so-called “Five Eyes” in the exchange of intelligence information. The partners had also called on Canada to take steps against the increased involvement of Chinese companies in the telecommunications structure.
Canada’s relationship with China has been strained for years
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government decision was long-awaited and announced before the 2019 election, but has been repeatedly postponed.
Relations between Canada and China have been strained for several years. In early December 2018, the chief financial officer of the Huawei technology group, Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver. The access took place while Meng was in transit at Vancouver Airport due to a US extradition request.
The arrest of Huawei’s chief financial officer in Canada sparked a diplomatic crisis with China.
(Photo: Reuters)
The United States accused her of fraud and demanded her extradition. A few days later, the two Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were arrested in China, apparently in retaliation. The case was not resolved until September 2021, when the US waived extradition, Meng was released and the two Canadians were able to return to Canada immediately afterwards. The first cautious steps towards rapprochement between the two countries could be undone by the Huawei decision.
5G will speed up data transmission, increase data capacity and facilitate data sharing. Huawei and ZTE are among the most successful Chinese technology companies. However, they are accused of having close ties to the Chinese state and the military.
According to Canadian reports, there are concerns that Chinese companies are required to cooperate with the state on security issues due to Chinese laws, which could create security risks. Alykhan Velshi, vice president of Huawei in Canada, said the government had not been able to provide evidence that Huawei posed a national security risk.
Large investments in Huawei products
Huawei has supplied equipment for both 4G and the 5G rollout that has already begun. According to reports from the Canadian broadcaster Global News, hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in Huawei products just during the time that the government was considering restrictions on Huawei. This will raise the question of compensation, which the government in Ottawa has so far rejected.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry made it clear on Friday that Canada must expect reactions. “China will make a comprehensive and serious assessment of the situation and take all necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies,” Canadian media quoted Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin as saying. Canada’s decision “seriously violated the rights and interests of Chinese companies”.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa accused Canada of colluding with the US to suppress Chinese companies. The cited security concerns are an “excuse for political manipulation”.
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