The Nato summit last week did not present an inspiring picture of western unity. The assembled leaders sniggered behind each other’s backs and squabbled childishly.
But the official Nato communiqué did contain one significant new departure. For the first time ever, it mentioned China, stating that Beijing’s growing influence poses challenges that “we need to address together as an alliance”. That statement, bland though it is, will be regarded with alarm in Beijing and delight in Washington. With the US and China locked into an increasingly heated rivalry, the Nato meeting signalled that — slowly, hesitantly — America’s European allies are beginning to swing behind the US.
The key issue to watch here is Huawei, the Chinese telecoms firm, that is bidding to build 5G broadband networks across the world. The US has blacklisted Huawei, imposing sanctions that prevent the Chinese firm from buying components from America. Senior officials in Donald Trump’s administration are passionate on the surveillance risks posed. I have heard one suggest that adopting Huawei technology is like “inviting the Chinese government into your bedroom”. He added that European governments that allow Huawei to build their 5G networks are “insane”.