The U.S. warning doesn't work, Vietnam continues to cooperate with China on 5G, and Trump is very angry.
On March 6, Reuters quoted Vietnamese officials saying that despite the U.S. warning, Vietnam's third-largest telecom operator Mobifone still seeks cooperation with China on 5G infrastructure.
Aside from the third-largest operator, two other operating companies in Vietnam, "Military Electronics Telecommunications" and "Postal and Telecommunications Group", have also used Chinese 5G communication technology, even directly building Chinese base stations outside the U.S. embassy in Ho Chi Minh City, making the U.S. very uncomfortable.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson stated that when countries build critical infrastructure, they should prioritize national security rather than focusing on the cost-effectiveness of the equipment, as China may share sensitive data or illegally access related systems through these base stations.
Additionally, during the U.S. visit to Vietnam in February, the U.S. had also warned Vietnam that if it relied on untrustworthy telecom suppliers like China, it would affect future U.S. investments in Vietnam, and urged them to think carefully.
For Vietnam, although it previously approved the U.S. Starlink satellite service to please the Trump administration, it is also concerned about Western ideological infiltration and eavesdropping, so choosing Chinese 5G suppliers is a way to seek balance between the U.S. and China, while also showing that the northern faction in power in Vietnam is more willing to deeply cooperate with China, which has a similar ideology.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858981808796672/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.