Germany will not bar Huawei from its 5G networks

Germany will not exclude Chinese tech giant Huawei from its 5G mobile networks, saying it wants to create "a level playing field" for vendors.

The US has banned Huawei from selling 5G equipment to its telecoms companies, saying it contained back doors that would enable Chinese surveillance.

And the UK has promised a decision this autumn on whether the equipment-maker should be excluded from its 5G rollout.

Huawei welcomed Germany's "fact and standards based approach".

"Politicising cyber-security will only hinder technology development and social progress while doing nothing to address the security challenges all countries face," Huawei said.

"Huawei will continue to work openly with regulators, customers, and industry organisations to ensure that mobile networks are secure.

"Over the past 30 years, we have served more than three billion people around the world, and we have maintained a strong track record in security throughout."

All German telecoms operators use Huawei equipment and have previously warned banning it would delay the rollout of 5G and cost billions of dollars.