German security threatened by reliance on US, not Huawei: Editorial flash

In a statement on Germany's possible ban on Huawei and ZTE in its 5G networking, the Chinese embassy to Germany said it is "very puzzled and strongly dissatisfied with the rash decision".

It's a natural response from anyone with a rational mind. Huawei and ZTE are private companies doing business all over the world, with which Germany has been a long-term business partner. German media outlets have already predicted the cost of banning them to be hundreds of millions of euros. There is also sure to be damage to Germany's trade and economic ties with China, its largest trading partner, as a result.

So why is the German government doing it? Some analysts said it is "a sign that the German government may finally be taking China-related risks to national security seriously", but Germany's national security has never been so fragile as to be risked in a relationship with a private company from a friendly trade partner.

The true threat to Germany's national security lies on the other side of the Atlantic. Don't forget Pulitzer-winning journalist Seymour Hersh's report about the US sabotaging the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines, a move that would have plunged millions of Germans into bitter cold had the 2022 winter not been as mild as it was.