Explainer: Why is there a race for 5G supremacy?

Huawei has been the leading supplier of 5G network equipment, but the US move to ban Huawei from acquiring components from US firms without government approval could wreak havoc on supply chains. PHOTO: REUTERS
Huawei has been the leading supplier of 5G network equipment, but the US move to ban Huawei from acquiring components from US firms without government approval could wreak havoc on supply chains. PHOTO: REUTERS
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5G mobile technology has unwittingly become embroiled in the trade war between the United States and China.

Not only is China's Huawei Technologies barred from selling to US companies, but suppliers in the US also cannot sell their wares to the Chinese firm without approval from the US government.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 17, 2019, with the headline Explainer: Why is there a race for 5G supremacy?. Subscribe