Canada, Huawei, and 5G

P rior to the intrusion of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canada’s health, economic and policy agenda beginning in February of this year, the issue of whether Huawei would be blocked from participation in the rollout of Canada’s 5G networks was a fraught and pending one. [...] Given the complication of this case, and its link to the detention in China of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, for alleged national security offences, it is not surprising that the Trudeau government has kicked the Huawei 5G can down the road. [...] Although China acted decisively in late January to impose movement controls and social distancing measures on Wuhan and Hubei province, the epicentre of the pandemic, it has come under heavy criticism for not taking earlier action and for local suppression of information about the extent and nature of the virus. [...] Canada and China need to re-engage if they are to move toward a resolution of bilateral problems, including the detention of the two Michaels, and co-operation on the COVID-19 file could provide the needed impetus. [...] If co-operation on COVID-19 can help break the logjam of outstanding Canada-China issues, and improve the Canada, Huawei, and 5G: Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Equation?