The EU is considering banning the installation of mobile network equipment from Huawei or ZTE. It is a dangerous strategy

The European Commission (EC) is exploring ways to get member states stop using telecommunications equipment from Chinese sellers like Huawei or ZTE. Tension between Europe and China is escalating once again, and it is not at all clear that this decision will be beneficial for European companies. Huawei in Europe no, thanks. On Bloomberg cite sources close to these plans and talk about how the vice president of this organization, Henna Virkkunen, has adopted a very forceful position. Virkkunen apparently wants to completely stop the use of Huawei telecommunications equipment with an eye-catching argument: making that a legal requirement. It wouldn’t matter what each country thought.. Years ago the EU has already recommended avoiding Chinese telecommunications equipment as far as possible, but it was a suggestion without a mandatory nature and the member states were the ones to decide in this area. Spain, for example, has continued using this equipment. The Commission’s theoretical proposal would legally force EU countries to break commercial ties with these companies. Failure to comply with the requirement could expose these countries to economic sanctions. Before they were suggestions. At the beginning of 2020 the European Union announced those recommendations under the name “5G Toolbox”. At that time they warned of the risks but left room for maneuver to the member states. Now we go from a soft recommendation to a legal imposition, because that “Toolbox” was voluntary. The national security argument. The argument is the same as that used in the past: Euro officials fear the risks associated with using communications equipment from companies (such as Huawei) so closely linked to the Chinese government. Maintaining these teams, this strategy suggests, could compromise national security. And be careful with countries outside the EU. The EU’s plan is not only for member countries to abandon these teams, but to pressure countries outside the EU to do so as well. Thus, it would try to block the use of program funds Global Gateway if those who use them spend them buying Huawei equipment. The operators, harmed. European telecommunications companies also appear to oppose this plan. First of all, they indicate in Bloomberg, because Huawei technology is often cheaper and even superior to Western alternatives from Nokia or Ericsson. And second, because replacing existing equipment is extremely expensive and can delay current and future deployments. internal division. In the absence of confirmation of the EC plan, there is another key element: there is internal division among EU members. Germany and Finland continue to deliberate on what restrictions to impose, while Spain and Greece continue to purchase telephone equipment from these manufacturers. What they say in China. Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Minister, has indicated that when certain countries forcibly eliminate telecommunications equipment from Chinese firms like Huawei, they not only slow down their technological progress, but also suffer economic losses. He further added that “We urge the #EU to provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies and avoid undermining business confidence in investing in Europe.” Let’s remember Sweden. In 2020, Sweden decided to ban the use of telecommunications equipment from Chinese manufacturers with the same argument that we already know about national security. That theoretically favored the local company, Ericsson, but its CEO criticized the Swedish government’s decision precisely because he knew what was going to happen. Revenge is served on a cold plate. And what happened is that China retaliated. A few months later, China Mobile announced budgets and contracts to boost the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, and Ericsson was the biggest loser. The company had almost 11% market share before the government’s decision: today its share does not reach 2%. Dangerous veto. If confirmed and made effective, the veto on being able to use telecommunications equipment in the European Union is dangerous precisely for the same reason that happened with Sweden. China continues to be a great commercial ally of China despite being more aligned with the US in areas such as semiconductors. With these types of actions, Europe positions itself even more closely with the Trump government, something that is somewhat surprising because Europe already came out badly after the agreement with tariffs. In Xataka | Huawei has a plan to deal the final blow to NVIDIA in China: a supernode of 15,000 processors

CapCut closes in the United States after banning TikTok

This Sunday, January 19, marked a before and after in the American digital landscape. With the entry into force of a law that bans TikTok and? It has also affected the short video application, CapCut. Since hours before this Sunday, thousands of users encountered an unexpected message when trying to access their accounts in both applications: “Service not available.” This measure, endorsed by the Supreme Court, establishes the separation of these platforms from their parent company, ByteDance, as the only alternative to operate in the country. The veto expands: from TikTok to CapCut Although the initial focus of the legislation was on TikTok, its impact extended to CapCut. This had been launched in the United States in 2020 and over time gained millions of followers thanks to its integration with TikTok, allowing users to edit content and participate in viral trends with ease. The app offered an accessible experience on both mobile and desktop devices, consolidating itself as an essential tool for content creators. However, as of last Saturday night, January 18, Users in the United States began receiving the following message when trying to open CapCut: “Sorry, CapCut is not available at this time. A law has been passed banning CapCut in the United States. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use CapCut for now.” In a statement published on the social network X (Twitter) the same day, the CapCut team thanked users for their support and provided a contact email for those who wish to resolve problems related to their accounts. “We will do everything possible to resolve your request,” the company said. An uncertain future for TikTok and its users The TikTok ban affects millions of users and content creators in the US, as until now it had been a vibrant space for them. Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, expressed his gratitude to the community and reaffirmed his commitment to keeping the platform operational. “We will do everything in our power to ensure TikTok remains a rich and vibrant space. There is more to come,” he declared. Thank you for your support for CapCut. Please contact us at capcut.support@bytedance.com if your account becomes unavailable due to the ban. Our customer service team will reply as soon as possible, and will continue providing support after January 19. We will do our best to… — CapCut (@capcutapp) January 19, 2025 President Joe Biden, who will hand over to Donald Trump on January 20, He left the future of these applications in the hands of his successorwho, for his part, indicated in an interview with NBC News that he was considering granting a 90-day extension for TikTok, although he did not guarantee that this measure would also include CapCut. “The 90-day extension is something that will probably be done, because it is appropriate. We have to analyze it carefully. “It is a very important situation,” said the US president a few days ago. Reactions and consequences The ban of TikTok and CapCut in the United States marks a historic precedent as it is the first time that the federal government blocks digital applications at the national level. Although some see this measure as a defense of national security, others consider that it limits the digital freedom of users. Keep reading:

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