North American countries continue to mistrust telecommunication companies from China. This as Canada has announced a ban on all Huawei and ZTE 5G network equipment within its borders.
We have covered the saga between Huawei and the US entity list in some detail already, but this latest move means that both Huawei and ZTE have been barred from operating in Canada for the foreseeable future.
“Today, the Government of Canada is ensuring the long term safety of our telecommunications infrastructure. As part of that, the government intends to prohibit the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE products and services in Canada’s telecommunications systems,” explained François-Philippe Champagne, minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, in a statement shared earlier this week.
To that end, telcos operating in Canada will not be able to procure any equipment from Huawei or ZTE from September this year, with a removal of existing network infrastructure to be enforced from 28th June 2024 onwards.
“As a result, telecommunications companies that operate in Canada would no longer be permitted to make use of designated equipment or services provided by Huawei and ZTE. As well, companies that already use this equipment installed in their networks would be required to cease its use and remove it. The government intends to implement these measures as part of a broader agenda to promote the security of Canada’s telecommunications networks and in consultation with industry,” the minister added.
Like a handful of other countries, most notably the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Canada has cited security concerns as the reason for the decision and particular China’s National Intelligence Law, which is viewed as a piece of legislation that could be used by the Chinese government to coerce companies and citizens into cooperating with state-sponsored spying.
In the past, Huawei has defined this interpretation of the National Intelligence Law as a misreading, noting that, “Huawei has never received such a request and we would categorically refuse to comply if we did. Huawei is an independent company that works only to serve its customers. We would never compromise or harm any country, organization, or individual, especially when it comes to cyber security and user privacy protection.”
Either way, this is a blow to both organisations and their aims to increase the reach of its 5G infrastructure in other parts of the world.
[Image – Photo by Renan Kamikoga on Unsplash]
