The Huawei dispute is only one part of a wider UK-China struggle

Coronavirus, trade, Hong Kong and human rights all in play as relations teeter over 5G role

The UK-China dispute over Huawei is now only part of a wider struggle which includes the coronavirus pandemic, trade, the national security law imposed on Hong Kong, human rights in China and maritime security in the South China Sea.

There seems little in principle holding the newly assertive China back, save the strategic concern that it is being forced to engage on too many fronts at once. China appears to be willing to trade sanctions with the US and its allies in an effort to defend its commercial, maritime and political interests, but it is not yet clear how it will respond if Huawei loses its grip on the European telecoms market due to overwhelming US pressure, following the UK's decision to strip Huawei out of Britain's 5G phone networks by 2027.