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BERLIN \u2014 Germany will bar the use of critical components made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in core parts of the country\u2019s 5G networks in two steps starting in 2026, the nation\u2019s top security official said Thursday.<\/p>\n
Germany, which has Europe\u2019s biggest economy, has long mulled what to do about components made by Chinese suppliers in its new-generation cellphone networks.<\/p>\n
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said critical components from Huawei and ZTE will be barred from 5G core networks by the end of 2026, while \u201ccritical management systems\u201d from the two manufacturers in 5G access and transport networks must be replaced by the end of 2029.<\/p>\n
The decision follows negotiations in recent weeks with Deutsche Telekom<\/a>, Vodafone and Telefonica<\/a>, which operate Germany\u2019s 5G networks, and agreements will be signed with all three companies, the Interior Ministry said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have examined the risks from critical components manufactured by Huawei and ZTE in German 5G cellphone networks very carefully,\u201d Faeser said as she announced the \u201cclear and strict agreement\u201d with German operators.<\/p>\n \u201cWith this, we are protecting the central nervous systems of Germany as a business location \u2014 and we are protecting the communication of citizens, companies and the state,\u201d she said. \u201cWe must reduce security risks and, unlike in the past, avoid one-sided dependencies.\u201d<\/p>\n Today\u2019s threats underline the significance of secure telecommunications infrastructure, particularly \u201cwith a view to dangers from sabotage and espionage,\u201d Faeser said.<\/p>\n The United States in recent years successfully pushed European allies such as\u00a0Britain<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Sweden<\/a>\u00a0to ban or restrict Huawei equipment in their phone networks over fears Beijing could use it for cybersnooping or sabotaging critical communications infrastructure \u2014 allegations Huawei has denied repeatedly. Japan,\u00a0Australia<\/a>,\u00a0New Zealand<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Canada<\/a>\u00a0have taken similar action.<\/p>\n German Chancellor Olaf Scholz\u2019s government last year\u00a0drew up a strategy<\/a>\u00a0for relations with China that refers to a \u201csystemic rivalry\u201d with the Asian power and a need to reduce risks of economic dependency, but highlights Berlin\u2019s desire to work with Beijing on challenges such as climate change and maintain trade ties. The strategy drew\u00a0criticism from Beijing<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scholz\u00a0visited China<\/a>\u00a0in April on his second trip to the country since he took office at the end of 2021.<\/p>\n Asked about Thursday\u2019s expected announcement at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that Huawei and other Chinese companies have been building high-quality infrastructure for Europe and creating many jobs, and \u201cthere is no evidence that they endanger the national security of European countries.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPoliticizing economic, trade, and sci-tech issues will only undermine normal technical exchanges and cooperation and is not in the interest of any party,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mutual suspicion between Western countries and China has mounted since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, NATO allies including Germany\u00a0called China<\/a>\u00a0a \u201cdecisive enabler\u201d of\u00a0Russia\u2019s war<\/a>\u00a0and expressed concerns over Beijing\u2019s nuclear arsenal and its capabilities in space.\u00a0Beijing responded<\/a>\u00a0by accusing NATO of seeking security at the expense of others and told the alliance not to bring the same \u201cchaos\u201d to Asia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nSubscribe to the Fortune Next to Lead newsletter to get weekly strategies on how to make it to the corner office. Sign up for free<\/a>.<\/div>\n