Following the announcement by Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior yesterday, the Chinese embassy in Germany said the decision was based on groundless accusations as Chinese companies have long operated in Germany in compliance with laws and regulations.
The embassy cited the likes of Huawei and ZTE and noted that both have made positive contributions to Germany’s digitisation process.
"There is no evidence indicating that these Chinese companies are a danger to any country," the embassy said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
"Whether Germany can handle this issue fairly and justly will be a touchstone for its own business environment," it added.
Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica have agreed to remove the components from their 5G core networks by the end of 2026.
By the end of 2029, the components must also be removed from access and transport networks which includes the physical parts of the 5G network such as transmission lines and towers.
China has long-held a close relationship with Germany, with German manufacturers sourcing and exporting large quantities of products from the country.
Yet over the past year, German exports to China have dropped 14% according to the Federal Statistical Office, which analysed numbers from May 2023 and May 2024.
