5G Geopolitics: Securitisation, Sino-US Contention and Technological Dependence for Developing States

Abstract

This paper provides a nuanced perspective on the interplay between security, geopolitics, and economic pragmatism in the global 5G domain. It examines the origins and dynamics of the diplomatic pressure campaign led by the United States against Chinese telecommunications companies since 2018. Using a qualitative methodology and Securitisation Theory, the study analyses how US policymakers and academics have framed Chinese telcos as national security threats. The study also explores the broader implications of Sino-US tensions over 5G. The findings reveal that securitising Chinese telcos, notably Huawei, has been a strategic move to curtail their expanding global influence. However, state responses to this campaign have been shaped by differing geopolitical and economic considerations. While most US allies have distanced themselves from Chinese telcos, many developing states, such as those in Africa and South Asia, have continued to embrace them due to their strong economic, political, and technological ties with China.