The Chinese group Huawei provides diplomatic tensions between China, the United States and Canada. The German government is holding back, but Berlin’s political experts are opposed to closed to Beijing.
It happens rarely that policy-observers themselves are political. “We call for a clarification of the allegations by the competent Chinese authorities, and demand an objective and fair treatment, in line with international Standards.” In a joint Statement, the heads of leading Berlin-based think tanks denounce the arrest of canadian researchers in the people’s Republic. “Such events cause uncertainty and distrust among foreign academics doing research on a regular basis in China, and now fearing for their safety”, – stated in the Declaration. The current Situation undermines the constructive relations between China and other countries, to explain the policy-experts.
Mainly due to the currently tense relationship in China to a given country: the United States is. Actually, for months, a simmering trade dispute between the United States and the people’s Republic of China should be exposed to at least for a time. But the same time another dispute between the two countries – with far-reaching diplomatic consequences: On the initiative of the United States, the neighboring country of Canada had taken the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications group Huawei. busy, busy, busy The charge: Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, had violated the Iran sanctions. Despite bail Meng must remain due to the ongoing extradition proceedings in Vancouver. Beijing was incensed. Shortly thereafter, the three Canadians were arrested.
Meng Wanzhou
The group’s Huawei is currently the lynchpin of the question of how the Rest of the world to the growing economic and political Power of the people’s Republic, especially in terms of future technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Autonomous vehicles, which depend on the Expansion of telecommunications networks such as the 5G technology. The United States as well as Australia and new Zealand have excluded the group from the network expansion, the British secret service wants to give any guarantee for the company’s technologies with respect to critical infrastructure.
The beginning of change of heart in Germany
In Germany, it is still prior to the decision. Actually, to be started with the procurement procedures for the 5G frequencies already in the beginning of 2019. So far, wants to set the competent Federal office for information security to no security criteria. At least in Parts of the Federal government, but there is now a growing awareness. “The question is whether Huawei meets the necessary safety standards, is currently being investigated,” said Federal Minister Peter Altmaier. “We can and will allow foreign technologies only, if you are sure.”
For this, there is a need, but the necessary transparency by Huawei experts: “We need to Huawei forced to give us full access to the necessary information,” says Frank Pieke, Director of the China-think-tank MERICS. “If you do not, you will get a Deal.”
The growing scepticism in Berlin is a departure from the previous China policy. This is due to the fact that the year didn’t come true long as the premise of “change through trade”, said Thorsten Benner from the Berlin-based think tank Global Public Policy Institute. “The Federal government sees China now as a state-capitalist-organized competitors,” writes Benner, most recently, in an analysis, “the (…) striving for the supremacy in the field of artificial intelligence.”
China promotes massive projects for artificial intelligence (AI)
Chinese projects such as the “Belt and Road Initiative”, with the help of China, infrastructures in the Tradition of the historical silk road is to build up, would now be seen in Germany and Europe is critical. But still there is a lack of a common European position. Even in the case of human rights issues to China, the EU member States are no longer United, let alone strategies to security-related technologies.
But there is here an urgent need for action: “We must try to invent the technology of tomorrow,” says Andre Loesekrug-Pietri of a JEDI. What sounds like a fan club for star warriors, is the Joint European Disruptive Initiative. An Agency that was founded after the model of the US military research division DARPA. Long ago, the debate around 5G frequencies not only to progress and prosperity. “The technological success is becoming more and more important for our democratic systems,” says the JEDI-the speaker.
Even if the European Union is difficult to define a common line, the continuing conflicts between the US and China could, at least, fuelling the debate in Berlin, believes Benner: “In Germany, a large public of China-the discussion is, however, probably under the TRANS-Atlantic sign soon to the house.” But for important decisions it isei then may be too late.