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Europe’s autonomy tested in Huawei case


In a letter to German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell warned that if Germany allows Huawei or other Chinese equipment suppliers to participate in its 5G project, the US will not maintain the same level of cooperation with German security agencies. Analysts pointed out that Germany has relied heavily on US intelligence in its anti-terrorism operations and the threat by Washington seems to hit Germany right at its weak spot.

美国驻德国大使格雷内尔日前在写给德国经济部长阿尔特迈尔的一封信中警告说，如果德国允许华为等中国供应商参与5G网络建设，美国将无法与德国安全机构保持当前安全水平的合作。分析人士指出，德国的反恐行动非常依赖美国的情报，华盛顿的威胁看似戳中德国的一个软肋。

Germany was scheduled to hold the auction of 5G spectrum licenses next week at the earliest. Berlin said that it would tighten security criteria for all vendors but does not want to exclude any company. Huawei also welcomed the new criteria.

德国最快将于下周举行5G网络的频段拍卖，柏林表示它会制定更加严格的安全标准，但无意将任何一家符合安全标准的供应商排除在竞标之外。对于德国电信监管机构上周四提出的新安全要求，华为已经表示欢迎。

The US has launched political persecution against Huawei on unwarranted charges. Washington is also obstructing its allies from using Huawei equipment in their 5G construction. An unprecedented debate is going on over the technological advancement of a telecommunication giant and the security threat it may pose. So far, the US may find the debate outcome irritating, as most telecommunication operators across the world believe Huawei is the only mature 5G network supplier and its technology is at least one year ahead of its Western counterparts.

美国以莫须有的罪名对华为进行政治迫害，阻挠其盟国在5G建设中使用华为设备，引发了前所未有对一家电信巨头技术先进度和安全可靠性的大讨论。迄今的讨论结果对美国很不利，各国电信运营商普遍认为华为是目前世界上唯一真正成熟的5G网络运营商，它的技术至少领先西方电信运营商一年以上。

Washington has been coercing Berlin with menaces. For Germany, it is still important to retain security cooperation with the US. Although Germany and France are discussing the autonomy of European security, the continent has not truly determined to live without the US security shelter.

美国在强德国所难，使用了命令、威胁的方式，对德国来说，保持与美国的安全合作仍很重要，虽然德法都在谈论欧洲安全自主，但欧洲显然还没有形成摆脱对美国安全依赖的真正决心。

But Germany has serious reasons not to ban Huawei. First, Huawei can help Germany's 5G construction with high efficiency and low costs. Second, the warning from the US has obviously infringed upon Germany's sovereignty. This is not the first time that Grenell has made dictatorial gestures toward Berlin. Since assuming the role as US Ambassador to Germany, he has made Berlin uncomfortable by warning against the Russian gas pipeline and demanding German companies cease business in Iran. If Berlin bows to US demands this time, that means Berlin gives its consent to the right of Washington to be bossy.

然而德国也有很严肃的理由不拒绝华为。第一就是华为可以帮助德国建设先进高效且价格低廉的5G网络。第二，美国阻挠德国围绕通信基础建设自主决定显然触动了德国的国家主权。美驻德大使格雷内尔已经不是第一次对柏林指手画脚了，他上任一年多，公开抨击过德国与俄罗斯建输气管道，还要求过德国企业停止在伊朗的业务，都曾令柏林很不舒服。现在他又第一次公开威胁德国，柏林如果让步，意味着进一步承认了华盛顿对德国发号施令的权力。

In the face of a selfish and overbearing US, Germany and other European countries will stress more independence. In the case of Huawei, the US has directly commanded European countries to sacrifice their interests and Europe has reiterated its unwillingness, although in a tactful manner. Given Germany's leading role in Europe, how Berlin handles Huawei can be viewed as a touchstoneof how Europe can be independent facing the US.

从长远看，面对越来越自私、霸道的美国，德国与欧洲国家更加强调自立是大势所趋。在华为问题上美国直接强令欧洲国家牺牲自己的利益，欧洲的不情愿也虽然婉转但反复表达了出来。德国的决定在欧洲有标杆意义，它最终怎么处理华为问题，可以视作欧洲目前面对美国究竟有多大自主决心和相关能力的试金石。

The letter written by the US Ambassador indicates that the US can only resort to menaces against its European allies. But Europe should be experienced enough to realize that developing friendly relations with China is not a burden to its ties with the US. Rather, the relationship can serve as strategic leverage with which Europe can change the US attitude.

美国大使写这样的信，说明美对欧洲盟国的劝说已经失败，只剩下赤裸裸威胁这一招了。然而欧洲应该有足够的经验帮其了解，坚持与中国发展良好关系不是欧洲发展对美关系的累赘，而完全可以成为它撬动美国对欧态度新的战略杠杆。

Washington does not take seriously a Europe that is completely beholden. Europe must have the courage to distance itself from the US while at the same time develop ties with China and Russia. The world is changing, and so should Europe's strategies. The continent should seek to maximize its interests instead of serving as an adherent of the America First doctrine.

完全屈从于美国、盲目跟着美国的欧洲对华盛顿来说是廉价的，欧洲必须有勇气与美国拉开一点距离，同时发展同中国、俄罗斯的关系。世界在变，欧洲的策略也需以变应变，它需探索实现欧洲利益最大化、而非给“美国优先”当二传手的现实策略。

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