Huawei is battling back in the competition to build 5G networks in south-east Asia, one of the last regions where the Chinese telecoms equipment maker still retains influence after being blacklisted by Washington.The company is among those lobbying for a role in Malaysia, according to three people briefed on the situation, after the country’s new government announced a review of its predecessor’s 5G plans, including a decision to award Ericsson the tender to build a state-owned network.
“It is a mixture of soft power and outright lobbying to try to get the adoption of their systems somewhere in the rollout,” said one person briefed on the discussions.
The south-east Asian country’s 5G plans have become a test of its relations with China and the west, as well as a challenge to Kuala Lumpur’s reputation for respecting the sanctity of commercial contracts.