“There is nothing like seeing in practice what’s possible,” Ms. Merkel beamed when they returned. That was July 2018, when economic cooperation between the two countries looked limitless — combining Germany’s powerful auto industry and China’s technology giant, Huawei. Eighteen months later, Germany is embroiled in a tortured debate over whether to allow Huawei to help build its 5G next generation mobile network. But with German automakers, including Audi and Daimler, already working closely with Huawei, it may be China who sits in the driver’s seat. Whatever Germany decides will shape its relations with China for years and reverberate across the Continent.

Source: New York Times January 16, 2020 09:56 UTC