Due to national security concerns, Canada is banning Chinese telecommunications corporations Huawei and ZTE from its fifth-generation (5G) infrastructure, announced by The Canadian government on Thursday.
“We intend to exclude Huawei and ZTE from our 5G networks,” Canadian industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told reporters in Ottawa.“Providers who already have this equipment installed will be required to cease its use and remove it under the plans we’re announcing today,”.
The development went Beijing seething. Hours later the Chinese foreign ministry called Ottawa’s security risk concerns “groundless”.
“China is firmly opposed to this and will conduct a comprehensive and serious assessment,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at the regular ministry press conference in Beijing on Friday.
“The Canadian side has excluded these Chinese companies from the Canadian market under the pretext of groundless security risks and without any solid evidence,” Wang said, adding that Beijing would “take all necessary measures” to protect Chinese companies without embroidering.
“This move runs counter to market economy principles and free trade rules,” Wang persisted, accusing the Canadian government of “seriously damaging the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”
