Brendan Ryan
Today, more than ever, a high-speed wireless network is required to streamline emergency services operations, mitigate security threats, and connect people worldwide to information, media, and instant communication. 5G implementation has been at the forefront of a new era of telecommunications, providing higher bandwidth and quicker transmission for users. It’s been extremely useful for businesses, too, thanks to a key function known as network “slicing.” This “slicing” allows multiple virtual slices on the same physical infrastructure, which means service providers can now provide ultra-low latency for all who require it – from self-driving cars to factory machinery.
5G’s multitude of use cases make it an incredible tool for people and firms alike. Conversely, it presents unique security issues that have quietly been a major focus point in American commerce and foreign policy. On the global stage, two of the leaders in 5G network development and next-gen smartphones have been Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE. Huawei alone accounts for 15.3% of the current market share, just marginally behind Apple, at 15.6% in Q3. While Huawei tech is largely banned in the U.S., Apple faces fewer restrictions on selling in China – which is a testament to Huawei’s incredible sales numbers.
The company claims to have over 190,000 employees, yet there is no real understanding of the firm's ownership structure. Despite Huawei distancing itself from the CCP, the haze around executives has led many to believe they are exchanging information with Xi Jinping’s party in return for financial support. The United States government has reason to be concerned, as a House Intelligence Committee investigation from 2012 outlined many questions Huawei and ZTE could not answer and, to this day, still fail to explain: connections to the military, lack of disclosure on U.S. operations, and the existence of an “internal party committee” within each company.
Concern has renewed due to Huawei’s resurgence in market share, and the U.S. has sought strategic allies in every corner of the world to deter and mitigate the threat of a China-centric 5G takeover. Chinese developers and contractors have leaned into mega projects in developing nations as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, with a significant focus on infrastructure building in African countries. There has been so much Chinese investment and lending to Africa that the move could almost be dubbed a modern “colonization” of significant parts of the continent. This has furthered worries over pro-American views in countries where funding has surged, as loyalty to Chinese and BRICS financing can provide a quickfire, low-interest solution for leaders of African nations to increase economic capacity. China leverages these projects as a diplomacy tool, where much-needed investment into community development could easily be exchanged for information or natural resources, which many African countries are rich in.
Beyond the threat of losing a grip on emerging markets, many U.S. allies in Europe and Latin America have also turned to Huawei and Chinese 5G infrastructure. The Council on Foreign Relations published a report in 2023 that named Germany, Italy, Mexico, and other developed Western nations as significant users of Huawei tech. In fact, up until just recently, Huawei accounted for over half of 5G infrastructure in Germany. This poses a significant threat to the United States, as intellectual property, military plans, and critical information shared among allies could be compromised from the inside. Moreover, intentionally vague laws created by the CCP may force tech companies such as Huawei and ZTE to hand over any collected data, even if firms are distanced from the party to the extent they claim.
The 5G problem is an increasingly prevalent one for both the American government and the private sector. The outcome will likely set a precedent for the inevitable territory battle over AI and chip-making. It places additional scrutiny on already complex trade deals between the United States and China, putting American allies in the spotlight and asking questions about where their loyalties lie. The foreign policy battles of the present and future will be predicated upon intellectual property, data systems, and the infrastructure that keeps our intricately connected world humming along. Undoubtedly, the 5G network system and the service providers who facilitate access will have a long-lasting impact on the security of Americans and their private information.
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