Tags: 5G Wireless »»»» Trump Administration »»»» Trade War
Today the Trump Administration announced a ban against 5G Networking equipment supplied by Huawei, a Chinese company. The move was long expected but has to be seen within the context of the stupid trade war launched by the Trump Administration. The Administration has claimed buying networking equipment from China is a grave national security risk.
This news may be in part inspiration for an NY Times article over the weekend which claimed 5G networks do not pose a health risk. That article strongly smelled of being full of talking points from USA-based companies who are developing 5G Network technology. That article also made the case that Whichever nation dominates the new technology will gain a competitive edge for much of this century. That phrasing sure seems targeted at the America First ideology of the Trump Administration.
Namely - there is a geopolitical contest under way about 5G network technology. I haven't followed this, but it's possible the leading contenders are Huawei (China) and some company, Qualcomm probably, in the USA.
The
new NY Times article, in addition to discussing the Trump Administration ban on Huawei, talks about how 5G networks "promise not only faster cellular service, but also the connection of billions of “internet of things” devices — such as autonomous cars, security cameras and industrial equipment — to a new internet architecture."
Trump's Executive Order instructs Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to ban transactions that pose "unacceptable risk" without naming specific countries or companies. The Press Secretary said “This administration will do what it takes to keep America safe and prosperous and to protect America from foreign adversaries”. Finally it says Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been telling allies that the United States would stop sharing intelligence information with any country buying technology from Huawei or other Chinese companies to build 5G Networks.
According to the NY Times, American military and intelligence officials are afraid of a bunch of things:
- Chinese companies will then have control over the 5G networks
- Secure messages could be intercepted
- Secure messages could be diverted to China
- Chinese authorities could order Huawei to shut down any 5G network using their technology - e.g. during a war
While Huawei denies these allegations, the NY Times claims "Chinese law requires that the country’s firms obey instructions from the nation’s Ministry of State Security."
