Canada announced it will ban two of China's biggest telecoms equipment makers from working on its 5G phone networks, media outlets reported on Thursday.
The restrictions against Huawei and ZTE were announced by the country's industry minister. Francois-Philippe Champagne stated that the move will improve Canada's mobile internet services and "protect the safety and security of Canadians".
Speaking to reporters in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Champagne said the decision came after "a full review by our security agencies and consultation with our closest allies".
"Let me be very clear: We will always protect the safety and security of Canadians and will take any actions necessary to safeguard our telecommunication infrastructure," he added. "In a 5G world, at a time where we rely more and more in our daily lives [on] our network, this is the right decision."
In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Ottawa told the Reuters that Beijing sees the security concerns raised by Canada as a "pretext for political manipulation".
Moreover, the spokesperson accused Canada of working with the US to suppress Chinese companies.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa, Huawei and ZTE did not immediately respond to BBC requests for comment.
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