To protect national security, the Canadian government announced on Thursday that Huawei and ZTE, two Chinese telecommunications companies, will be banned from its fifth generation (5G) infrastructure.

“Today, the Government of Canada ensures the long-term safety of our telecommunications infrastructure,” said François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science, and industry, in a statement announcing the ban. The government intends to prohibit Huawei and ZTE products and services from being used in Canada’s telecommunications systems as part of this.”

According to him, the decision was made after a review by Canadian security agencies and consultation with the country’s closest allies.

As a result, telecommunications companies operating in Canada will “no longer be permitted to use designated Huawei and ZTE equipment or services,” he said.

Companies that already have this equipment in their networks will be “required to stop using it and remove it.”

Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendocino said on Twitter that Ottawa was “taking the necessary steps to protect Canadians and our telecommunications infrastructure” following an extensive review.

“Cybersecurity is national security in the twenty-first century.” Furthermore, it is our government’s responsibility to protect Canadians from growing cyber threats,” he added.

Canada was the only country in the Five Eyes group – the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand – that had not yet announced a ban or restrictions on Huawei.

Given the greater interconnectedness and interdependence of 5G networks, “a breach or exploitation in this environment would have a more significant impact on the safety and security of Canadians and Canadian critical infrastructure than in previous network generations,” according to Champagne’s department, innovation, science and economic development Canada.

Canada “must continue to secure the foundation of its telecommunications system and adapt to the changing technological and threat environment” to maximise the economic and social benefits of 5G technology.

According to the study, 5G technology “will introduce new security concerns that malicious actors may exploit.”

“The Government of Canada has serious concerns about suppliers such as Huawei and ZTE who may be compelled to comply with extrajudicial directions from foreign governments in ways that would conflict with Canadian laws or be detrimental to Canadian interests,” the statement said, without naming China.

As a result, Huawei and ZTE will be prohibited from using new 5G equipment and managed services, and existing 5G equipment and managed services must be removed or terminated by June 28, 2024.

The same rules will apply to 4G, but the deadline will be December 31, 2027. By September 1, 2022, it expects telecom service providers to stop buying equipment and services from these companies.

According to the statement, “these measures will be implemented as part of a new telecommunications security framework.”

The announcement had been widely anticipated, as Ottawa had been considering the issue for more than three years.

Since senior Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was detained in Vancouver in 2018 on charges of allegedly defrauding a financial institution to circumvent Iranian regime sanctions, relations between Canada and China have deteriorated.

China detained two Canadians, including a former diplomat, a few days later. This was referred to by Trudeau as “hostage diplomacy.” The two were released in September last year in what was seen as a prisoner exchange, and Meng flew back to China after agreeing to a plea deal with American prosecutors after more than 1000 days in captivity and being charged with spying.