The Western Digital Wall
If at the time China was concerned about its national security with regard to the technological-cultural influence of the West, vetoing some applications, social networks and digital media, what we are now witnessing on the part of the U.S. and Allies is what could be legitimate concern for their national security with respect to China’s technological penetration that is advancing significantly. What we do not know yet is whether in the near future the United States could also veto Chinese digital applications, social networks and media that may begin to challenge the dominant influence.
The Huawei chapter represents at first glance the launch of a new Iron curtain by the United States and its influence to curb in some way the Chinese technological penetration (which adds to the recent rise in tariffs by the U.S. ( 10% to 25%), to imports from China. What seems unlikely to prosper, considering how much we could lose the United States and allies against the giant Chinese dragon, leader in the production of lithium, refined cobalt and rare earths, strategic resources today much needed in the production of Technological articles. Will the U.S. and allies want to dispense with such strategic resources? Will America and allies want to dispense with the cheap labor that China still provides to its own brands?
If the cold War at the time was a struggle of powers in the military aspect (between the United States and the Soviet Union), today the new Cold war between the U.S. and China is a power struggle in the economic-technological aspect.
Is free trade dead?
What the US could be accomplishing is nothing more than curbing the current technological development of the West, which could allow the full development of Asia, led by China.
Even recently, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an alert to point out: “The potential data risk” of China’s manufacturing drones, with 70% of the world’s civil drones being produced by a single Chinese company (DJI).
The company (Huawei) is right to note that: “The decision of the United States will force them to employ inferior and costly teams, staying behind in the development of the 5G technology”.
Trying to harm the so-called “free Trade,” which the U.S. has been its main promoter globally, is contradictory and detrimental to global economic health. China has done nothing but play as the rules of the game were set. Did they want to open the markets? China opened them. They wanted cheap labor? China offered it. Did you want to have cheap products? China had them. Now, what’s the problem? The problem is that Chinese products have now increased in quality? What’s the matter? Are they concerned about national security or rather fear of losing technological hegemony in the face of the looming Chinese technological tsunami?
The current situation only brings uncertainty to this side of the continent; For China poses new challenges, new challenges.
Russia should also take notes.
Huawei will survive the same
Those who think that Huawei’s tech giant would have their days counted or could go bankrupt by the US veto are extremely wrong. Huawei’s largest market is found in China itself where virtually no Google applications exist, as they are used national similes. And on the other hand, the American market does not represent a quarter of the Chinese market.
Where it could affect the Asian giant is in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), whose market represents two quarters of what the Chinese market represents.
The decline of an empire
We inevitably go directly towards a change of power structures in the world. And the United States as the dominant power refuses to yield space; It is difficult for him to understand and recognize the Chinese musculature in terms of the economic and now technological environment; It is hard for him to understand that the world has changed and that his dominance is going down, even in Europe, where nationalism is gradually acquiring more force, which could threaten NATO’s very existence, a fundamental structure which allows the influence to be settled American within the continent.
Trying to impose a digital wall against Chinese influence can only be translated into a childish tantrum of a bad loser. The only thing that could be achieved is that we move towards useless isolation where a party begins to enjoy isolated development that the other party refuses to accept for purely selfish considerations.
Give as to worry, because we are not talking about two minor powers; We are talking about the two main powers that currently move the world economy.
Will the United States be willing to accept the Chinese technological superiority and the world to develop with total equilibrium in the technological field?
The content poured in this opinion column is the sole responsibility of its author, and does not necessarily reflect the editorial line or position of the counter.
