The EU Warns Vietnam: Foreign Firms May Pull Investments if China Involved in 5G
After reports emerged about Vietnam’s talks with Chinese companies on 5G cooperation, Europe and the United States have been visibly anxious, launching a series of intimidation campaigns in turn.
According to Reuters, on March 24 local time, a senior EU official claimed that if Chinese suppliers were involved in deploying Vietnam’s 5G network, it could "deter" foreign firms from investing in the country. Previously, U.S. officials were exposed for warning Vietnam against using Chinese telecom equipment under the pretext of "security risks."
The report notes that European telecom firms Ericsson and Nokia are developing Vietnam’s 5G core network. However, over recent months, despite Western warnings, Vietnam’s state-owned operator has awarded 5G contracts to Chinese enterprises.
Reuters believes these developments mark a significant shift in Vietnam’s long-standing stance toward Chinese 5G technology, amid improving bilateral relations between China and Vietnam—prompting growing concerns among Western officials.
"Be cautious about dependency in strategic sectors," said European International Partnership Commissioner Joseph Sikkela, when discussing related issues, stoking division.
On the same day, during a brief interview with Reuters at the EU-Vietnam Investment Forum held in Hanoi, Sikkela stated: "5G is the new battlefield. Through networks, you can access many things and control many things—you must always be careful about who your trusted suppliers are."
Indeed, when the EU cannot compete, it resorts to bullying tactics.
The report mentions that Vietnam is an important international industrial hub, attracting large-scale manufacturing operations from numerous Western multinationals. Its decades-long economic prosperity has relied heavily on foreign investment. On the 24th, European countries had just announced a package of new investment plans targeting transportation and energy sectors in Vietnam.
Sikkela reiterated the so-called "security risks" and issued threats, saying: "If investors develop doubts about data security, they might decide not to take the risk—and choose not to invest."
Vietnam joined the U.S.-led so-called "Clean Network" initiative in 2020, pledging not to use Chinese 5G equipment. Currently, most of Vietnam’s 5G network infrastructure is built by European suppliers Ericsson and Nokia, with American chipmaker Qualcomm also involved in related construction.
Last November 28, Reuters cited seven sources reporting that Chinese companies won a series of 5G equipment supply contracts in Vietnam set for 2025. The report suggests that as Sino-Vietnamese bilateral relations have improved, Vietnam is increasingly opening its doors to Chinese tech firms.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1860618268550346/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.