France won't bar but may restrict Huawei in 5G network

France on Thursday said it would not bow to American pressure to exclude Huawei from supplying equipment for its 5G networks, though the Chinese telecommunications firm could be subject to restrictions.

Taking a stance echoing those of Britain and the European Union, Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Paris could prioritise European operators as it begins preparations to roll out the 5G network.

"There is no discrimination towards Huawei... No, Huawei will not be excluded from the 5G in France," Le Maire told BFM TV.

But he added "the French state will take precautions to protect our sovereign interests", especially near nuclear and military installations. Also, "it is understandable that we could prioritise a European operator" such as Nokia or Ericsson, he added.

5G stands for fifth generation, the latest in cellular mobile communications offering vastly higher speeds which could unlock a variety of new applications.

There has been intense debate in Europe about whether or not to exclude Huawei from supplying equipment for 5G mobile networks.

Critics, led by Washington, say Huawei is too close to Beijing and its equipment could be used as a tool for spying -- a contention the company strongly rejects.

US President Donald Trump has already ordered American firms to cease doing business with Huawei, and has urged allies to follow suit.

US Attorney General Bill Barr last week said the United States and its allies should take controlling stakes in Nokia, Ericsson or both to battle Huawei's dominance of the 5G market.

Asked if France could give preferential treatment to Nokia of Finland and Ericsson of Sweden, Le Maire replied: "We have two European operators who supply 5G and supply quality equipment.

"It is normal if we look first if they can provide the solution. And I think our Chinese partners can understand that." He insisted: "Huawei will be not be discriminated against. If Huawei has a better offer from a technical point of view or price it can have access to 5G in France."
However Huawei vehemently denied the report, saying in a statement it "has never and will never covertly access telecom networks, nor do we have the capability to do so."