Geopolitics
On the line
Canada looks likely to ban Huawei from its 5G network due to concerns over espionage – but it won’t be an easy decision for prime minister Justin Trudeau. While the US, Australia and New Zealand have already barred the Chinese telecoms and smartphone manufacturer, relations between China and Canada nosedived in December, when – at the request of the US – Canada arrested Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou. In response, China has arbitrarily detained three Canadians. Trudeau is stuck trying to appease Washington, protect Canadian citizens and soothe relations with China, which has promised further reprisals if the ban is enforced. Trudeau will be reluctant to anger Beijing further – but nor will he want to be seen capitulating to a bully on the world stage.