US Praises German 5G Standards as Huawei Battle Simmers

The top U.S. diplomat for cybersecurity policy has praised Germany’s draft security standards for next generation mobile networks, which he said could effectively shut out China’s Huawei.

Rob Strayer said Wednesday the standards published last month were a “positive step.”

They call for mobile providers to use “trustworthy” telecom equipment suppliers that comply with national security regulations covering secrecy of communications and data protection.

The U.S. has been lobbying European allies to ban Huawei from new 5G networks over concerns China’s communist leaders could force the company to use its equipment for cyberespionage.

While no European countries have issued blanket bans, Strayer said a “risk-based” approach to evaluating telecom suppliers, including their relationship with their national government, would “lead inevitably” to banning Huawei.
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