US reportedly pressures Germany over Huawei
After diplomacy failed to convince those pesky Europeans Huawei should be banned, the US has reportedly moved onto the tried and tested tactic for getting its way; being a bully.
It was never going to be long before the blunt hammer of political persuasion came out, and according to the Wall Street Journal, the White House is huffing, puffing and about to start swinging. The German Government has reportedly been told to ditch Huawei kit or it will be barred from accessing US intelligence databases.
Should the reports prove to be true, this would be the first time the US has threatened allies with direct consequences for ignoring the anti-China propaganda. That said, it should come as little surprise. The US is a political power not used to being told no, especially with the narcissistic President Trump acting as puppet master. Being nice can only get you so far, and the White House has seemingly had enough of those pesky Europeans making their own decisions.
While Huawei remains a company under scrutiny, the European nations has so far resisted any knee-jerk reactions. It has been rumoured Germany was preparing new security requirements which would protect itself and its citizens, but also allow Huawei to continue operating in the country, and last week was confirmation. The release of a draft bill, outlining the new security requirements laid out the German position; Huawei looked safe in Germany.
Germany is of course a large economy and a key trading partner of the US, though it is also a heavyweight amongst political featherweights in the European Union. In drafting these new security requirements, other countries across the bloc might follow suit, such is the influence of Berlin. Perhaps this is a situation which the dented-ego of the US would not allow, especially considering its lobby efforts have largely been ignored across the European continent.
With Europeans taking a more proportionate response to the threat of foreign actors, the US will of course not be happy. The bully of yesteryear is beating its chest, and collateral damage from the US/China trade war could be about to get much wider.
