cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/52972758 > Archived > > The involvement of Chinese vendors in the rollout of Vietnam’s 5G network may deter foreign companies from investing in the Southeast Asian nation, a top EU official said on Tuesday. > > European telecom firms Ericsson and Nokia are developing Vietnam’s core 5G network, but in recent months Vietnamese state-owned operators have awarded 5G contracts to Chinese rivals Huawei and ZTE. > > That marks a notable shift following years of caution towards China, and the change has ⁠sparked concerns among ⁠Western officials. > > “Be careful with dependencies in strategic areas,” EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela said when asked about the Chinese contracts. > > “5G is the new battlefield,” he told Reuters on the sidelines of an EU-Vietnam investment forum in Hanoi. “Through the network you can access a lot and you can control a lot, ⁠and you have to be always careful who is your trusted vendor.” > > “If investors have doubts about the security of their data, they might decide not to take the risk and not to invest,” he said. > > […] > > Vietnam is a major industrial hub and hosts large manufacturing operations of big Western multinationals, including European firms Adidas and Lego. Its decades-long economic boom hinges on foreign investment. > > The European Union and European states ⁠on Tuesday ⁠announced a new package of investment in Vietnam’s transport and energy sector. > > […]