Berlin, 28 May 2019 – Bitkom President Achim Berg on the current developments following the US sanctions against Huawei:
World trade is no zero-sum game. The escalating trade conflict knows only losers on all sides. Policy-makers and businesses should do everything to contain this crisis, so that it will not affect the entire tech world. Especially the digital economy thrives on international exchange. This so-called global sourcing is the foundation of the unique innovation potential of the digital sector. No single region, no single country and no single company can afford to neglect this global digital ecosystem. If critical parts or software is no longer deliverable, this can halt the entire production and maintenance cycle, existentially threatening companies and, in the worst-case scenario, negatively affect the performance of entire national economies.
The mutual technological dependence are a political obligation: Reject arbitrary conflict and seek indispensable consensus. Nationalism and economic protectionism are a dangerous aberration. Especially now that China is increasingly banning the use of Western technologies and platforms and that the United States are imposing punitive tariffs on imports and are refusing cooperation with Chinese tech companies, Europe has to demonstrate strength. Only if the member states of the EU are joining forces and build on cooperation instead of isolation can they be a relevant voice in geo-strategic digital politics.”
