The European Union’s leading standards body has warned against excluding Chinese firms from international cybersecurity norms, arguing such moves could undermine global digital infrastructure and create geopolitical tensions. According to sources familiar with internal discussions, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) raised concerns during closed-door meetings about recent calls to ban Chinese companies from participating in critical standard-setting processes.
Analysts note this comes amid growing Western scrutiny of Huawei, ZTE, and other Chinese tech giants over alleged security risks. However, EU officials reportedly emphasized that completely barring these companies could lead to competing standards systems, with China potentially establishing parallel frameworks outside Western oversight.
“We risk splitting the internet into incompatible technological spheres,” one unnamed EU official was quoted as saying in preliminary meeting notes reviewed by journalists. The official cited lessons from the 5G rollout controversies, where fragmented approaches created interoperability challenges.
The debate reflects broader tensions as Western nations balance security concerns with maintaining functional global tech ecosystems. Some experts suggest the EU’s stance indicates a preference for managed engagement rather than outright decoupling from Chinese technology providers.