Italy and Germany Won't Exclude Huawei from 5G Networks

America has been warning her European allies not to use Chinese equipment for 5G networks, but Italy and Germany aren’t having it. Each nation denied that it’ll exclude Huawei from next-gen mobile networks.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice slapped the Chinese telecom giant with 10 indictments for IP theft, wire fraud, and obstruction of justice. America has repeatedly warned against a company literally founded by a former engineer in the People's Liberation Army (and which many claim maintains close ties to the Chinese government), and several allies agree.  

Japan has severed all ties with Huawei, and Australia and New Zealand have barred Huawei products from 5G networks. Two months ago, Canada arrested Huawei’s CFO, Meng Wanzhou, on a U.S. warrant, and the U.K. made their feelings clear in a detailed report from the aptly-titled Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre.

But Italy and Germany remain unconvinced.

Italy flatly denied that it’ll exclude Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp from its fifth-gen mobile phone network. “We have no intention of adopting any such initiatives,” the industry ministry said. “National security is a priority and if any critical issues emerged - which to date have not - the ministry would assess whether or not to take measures.”

And while the UK’s BT Group and France’s Orange (plus America’s AT&T and Verizon) refuse to do business with Huawei, Telecom Italia has no plans to distance itself from the Shenzhen juggernaut.

Separately, business daily Handelsblatt reported that the German government won’t exclude Huawei from the build-out of its 5G network.

And the next Cold (Cyber) War continues....