IS HUAWEI THE CHINESE “TROJAN HORSE” IN THE US-CHINA POLITICAL TENSIONS?

For more than a decade, Huawei, one of the largest providers of 5G equipment, has been caught up in a showdown between western allies headed by the US and the Chinese government. The United States, Australia, Japan etc have effectively banned Huawei from building their 5G networks claiming that Huawei is a threat to their national security. Huawei and other Chinese telecommunication providers are effectively blocked out these markets. The company has pursued strategies relying more on friendly markets and continued to develop its technology. Behind this tension is the fear of a rising China as result of China’s economic prowess challenging the US economic and political supremacy like never before. This paper seeks to address this tension and ascertain the possible scenarios occurring and what will be the consequences of these tensions for Huawei, China and the West.