The science, technology, and telecommunications minister of Costa Rica stated that Chinese vendors represented a security threat to the emerging digital network
Costa Rican government officials have raised concerns about potential cybersecurity threats posed by Chinese vendors in the development of 5G networks in the country, according to local press reports.
The science, technology, and telecommunications minister of Costa Rica stated that Chinese vendors represent a security threat to the emerging digital network, while another senior ministry official referred to the Chinese government as “totalitarian.”
In response, the Chinese embassy in the country criticized these statements, saying that they undermine economic relations between the two nations.
“These comments gravely affect the confidence and expectations of Chinese companies to undertake economic-trade activities in Costa Rica and they erode the good energy to develop bilateral relations,” the embassy wrote in a statement.
The statement went on to say China deemed the comments “irresponsible and unfounded.”
In August, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves approved a decree with the main aim of regulating 5G mobile network deployments and banned firms from countries that have not agreed to an international cybercrime convention. The ban applies to tech companies from China, South Korea, Russia and Brazil, among others.
According to the reports, Chavez issued the decree soon after U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson visited Costa Rica, where she questioned the growing Chinese investment in Latin American infrastructure development including 5G networks.
Several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan, have already effectively banned Huawei from their 5G networks or imposed restrictions.
In September, Germany’s interior ministry proposed forcing local carriers to restrict their use of equipment made by Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE.
According to local press reports, the interior ministry is seeking to impose these new restrictions on 5G networks after an in-depth review highlighted the European country’s reliance on the two Chinese vendors.
“Such an approach will have a negative impact on the digital transformation in Germany, inhibit innovation and significantly increase construction and operating costs for network operators,” Huawei Germany said in a statement.
The government source added that Germany’s interior ministry has designed a staggered approach to try to limit disruption, by requiring local carriers to remove all critical components from Chinese vendors in their 5G core networks by 2026.
German carriers should also reduce the share of Chinese components in their RAN and transport networks by October 1, 2026, to a maximum of 25%, the official added.
The German government had also said that the potential high costs of removing components from Huawei from the country’s 5G networks will not be a barrier if it is in the best interests of national security.
Germany originally avoided the implementation of a full ban of Huawei 5G equipment amid U.S. pressure to cut Chinese infrastructure providers. Instead, the government decided that all components that were deemed critical IT infrastructure needed to be certified by the authorities.
