Germany is once again targeting Chinese companies

French media: German government is expected to gain new powers to prohibit risk-prone Chinese companies from participating in key infrastructure construction in multiple fields

The German government is expected to gain new powers to prohibit Chinese technology suppliers deemed risky from participating in the construction of key infrastructure. According to a report by Politico Europe, German parliament members approved a bill on Thursday that would give the Interior Ministry new tools to ban the use of specific manufacturers' components in critical sectors, citing cybersecurity risks. These measures are similar to those taken by European countries in the telecommunications sector, but Germany's new law has a broader scope, covering multiple industries such as energy, transportation, and healthcare.

At the same time, German Chancellor Merz (Friedrich Merz) stated at a business meeting in Berlin on Thursday that he would take a tougher stance against Chinese tech giant Huawei, saying "no components from China will be allowed for 6G networks." Merz will discuss this issue at a major digital sovereignty summit co-hosted by Germany and France next week.

As the largest economy and manufacturing power in the EU, Germany's supply chain security is under renewed scrutiny. The country's relationship with China is complex. At the same time, the EU is also considering how to better address network risks in supply chains dominated by Chinese companies. Governments are no longer focusing solely on the telecommunications industry, but are actively pushing for actions in areas such as solar energy and smart connected vehicles.

European cybersecurity officials are finalizing a set of information and communication technology supply chain toolkits to help governments reduce risks. The European Commission is also preparing a comprehensive revision of its Cybersecurity Act to address this issue, which is expected to be completed by January next year.

It is reported that this legislation in Germany aims to implement the EU's NIS2 Directive, a key infrastructure cybersecurity law. The German Federal Council (upper house of the federal parliament) still needs to approve the bill, and it is expected to be voted on next Friday.

Noah Barkin, a senior China-Europe relations analyst at Rhodium Group, said the key issue is whether the German government is willing to exercise its power. He pointed out that regarding the telecommunications sector, "this helps lay the foundation for excluding Huawei from the 5G network in Germany, but it does not guarantee sufficient political will to make this decision."

Under the current German Information Technology Security Act, the Interior Ministry already has the authority to prevent telecom operators from using specific components. The 2021 amendment to this law was widely seen as an initiative aimed at removing Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE from telecom networks due to concerns over cybersecurity and security risks. The German Interior Ministry intervened in 2024, but never formally banned the use of specific components under this law.

It is understood that the German government initially proposed expanding the measures applicable to the telecommunications sector to the power sector in its new cybersecurity bill. However, the version passed by the Bundestag now applies to all critical sectors, including transportation, healthcare, and digital infrastructure, according to the EU's NIS2 Directive.

Johannes Schätzl, the spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party's digital policy in the ruling "black-red coalition," said that this is "a logical step, because cyber threats and hybrid threats do not stop at industry boundaries."

The bill stipulates that when the German Interior Ministry considers banning or blocking certain suppliers, it must consult with other government departments. In the past, some departments, such as the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Economics, have been reluctant to prohibit the use of Chinese components due to concerns about economic retaliation from China.

In addition, the industrial sector may also resist these new measures. The German Association of Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (Bitkom) stated on Thursday that the new regulations could be unpredictable and therefore "unfavorable."

Source: rfi

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848898495682699/

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