On October 20, Sweden became the latest country to ban Huawei, China’s telecommunications giant, from participating in its 5G networks.
PTS, the Swedish telecom regulator, said that companies supplying 5G services in the country will have until 2025 to remove any equipment from Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE from their infrastructure networks. PTS added that the decision was based on the advice of Sweden’s military and security services, which apparently described China as “one of the biggest threats against Sweden.”
Sweden joins the United States, Australia, the U.K., and France in instituting a ban on using Huawei and ZTE equipment in 5G networks.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian did not mince words at a press conference the day after the announcement, saying that “China deplores Sweden’s decision.”
Zhao accused Sweden of using “national security as a pretext to slander Chinese companies, openly oppress Chinese telecom companies, and politicize normal economic cooperation.” He added that Sweden should “correct its mistake” to “avoid negative impact on China-Sweden economic cooperation and the Swedish businesses operating in China.”
Zhao’s remarks echoed a similar press release issued on October 20 by the Chinese Embassy in Sweden.
Unlike other countries that have instituted a ban on Huawei and ZTE, Sweden has its own firm competing for contracts to build 5G networks at home and abroad: Ericsson. China’s telecom regulator may now threaten Ericsson’s activities within China, where it has contracts to supply equipment for 5G networks. Of course, as a direct competitor to Huawei, Ericsson also stands to benefit from the ban – it has already won at least five contracts in other countries as a direct result of Huawei being forced from the competition.
Source: The Diplomat
