Chinese tech company Huawei said it has “no doubt” it’s going to meet Germany’s security requirements for upcoming 5G networks in the company, Reuters reported.
The comment came from Werner Haas, Huawei’s German chief technology officer, and it’s noteworthy because Huawei is currently under sanctions from the U.S. government regarding its equipment amid worries that it could be used for spying by the Chinese government.
“We expect there to be good and pragmatic [security] solutions — and we have no doubt that we will fulfill them,” Haas said in Berlin.
Germany recently completed a 6.5 billion Euro auction of 5G spectrum that will operate “smart” factories, and allow for Huawei and rivals to bid for billions in future deals.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s cabinet has put Huawei in the crosshairs as part of an effort to gain an advantage in the ongoing trade war with China, and last month imposed export controls on the company.
The result is that Western Huawei suppliers, like U.K. chip maker ARM, have had to limit deliveries. Huawei Founder Ren Zhengfei warned that revenue could take a hit of up to $30 billion in 2019.
Germany has decided to reject the U.S.’s requests to ban Huawei on mostly security-based grounds. The country has instead leveled the playing field so that it can choose the best vendor for what it needs. The requirements involve specific criteria like the encryption of sensitive information, and the strength of a network — in terms of strength to withstand an attack.
The criteria is still being drafted and another additional requirement for how trustworthy a vendor is could be eventually added.
A main concern for tech companies thinking about using Huawei is a law that says Chinese companies have to help China in espionage investigations. Ren said there’s no law that requires Huawei to install digital backdoors that would provide access to China for spying.
