Opinion: The tensions over Huawei are not about trade, but global supremacy

Commenting on the UK's reversal regarding Huawei's involvement in its 5G infrastructure, Laurie Macfarlane (UCL Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose) says the decision is political, reflecting the threat of the Chinese economic model to the liberal capitalism of the UK. In 2015, George Osborne hailed the arrival of a "golden decade" of Sino-British relations. "Where some people are cautious about getting more involved in China, we say quite the reverse," the chancellor remarked during a high-profile trip to Beijing. "We want to get more involved with China." Five years later, the mood has changed dramatically following Britain's U-turn on its decision to allow the Chinese firm Huawei to develop its 5G network. Although the UK government has sought to play down accusations that the decision was politically motivated, insisting it was a "technical decision", in reality it could scarcely be more political. After repeatedly failing to convince British intelligence services that Huawei posed a national security risk, the US decided to force the UK's hand by imposing new sanctions that cut off the company from international semiconductor supplies. This left the UK's National Cyber Security Centre with little choice but to advise that Huawei equipment should not be used in the UK's 5G network, souring relations between London and Beijing.