Central Europe is becoming a key piece in the proxy battle for 5G network security between the US and China, with relatively consistent results across the region.

“The U.S. is achieving its goals in terms of limiting Huawei in Europe’s networks,” MapInfluenCE founder Ivana Karaskova told Radio Free Europe. “These agreements are part of a much tougher approach toward China from governments in [the region].”

While this does come as a “win” for US policy in some sense, Karaskova elaborated that the shift on Huawei and 5G implementation is not entirely a result of US influence. Instead, much of the shift is actually borne of a maturing experience with China that has raised scrutiny in many nations.

“This shift isn’t simply about U.S. diplomatic pressure,” Karaskova said, “it is also the result of growing domestic concerns in Europe towards China.”

For the full article covering the evolution of Central and Eastern European nations on the telecoms giant, click here.

Image source: Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr