Germany has finalised a significant agreement with telecom providers to exclude Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE from its 5G network by 2029, announced Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The decision, hailed as crucial for digital security in Europe's largest economy, follows intensive negotiations with Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telefonica Deutschland. The aim is to safeguard Germany's critical infrastructure from potential security risks associated with Chinese technology.

Faeser emphasised that Berlin informed Beijing about the agreement and did not anticipate retaliatory actions despite China's embassy warning Germany of the consequences. The embassy criticised the move as an attempt to stifle competition, asserting that no conclusive evidence has been provided by any country regarding Huawei's security risks.

The phased-out approach, initially removing Chinese technology from 5G core networks by 2026 and extending to components like antennas by 2029, marks Germany's delayed adherence to the EU security measures. While telecom operators have resisted the costly transition, Huawei has condemned the politicisation of cybersecurity in Germany. The minister did not disclose further details of the agreement.