Canada is banning China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE, another Chinese company, from participating in the country’s 5G wireless networks, citing national security concerns.
The U.S. has long pressed it's northern neighbour to deny Huawei a role in building the country’s 5G infrastructure, saying it would allow Beijing to spy on Canadians more easily.
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The rest of the intelligence alliance called, Five Eyes network – the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand – have already banned Huawei equipment.
Canada’s national security, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said “We’ll take any actions necessary to safeguard our telecommunications infrastructure, oviders who already have this equipment installed will be required to cease its use and remove it under the plans we are announcing today."
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India last year in May while announcing its 5G plans had 'left out' all Chinese companies while giving the rest the nod while no explicit ban was announced.
Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. It has been a symbol of China’s progress in becoming a technological world power - and a subject of U.S. security and law enforcement concerns.