Huawei becomes flashpoint in China-US economic showdown

WASHINGTON: The US crackdown on Huawei has made the Chinese telecommunications giant the flashpoint in a monumental economic and technological showdown between the two superpowers that is testing allies of both.

One day after the US moved to block Huawei from the US market and banned the export of US technology and materials to the company, China warned Washington Thursday against further harming trade ties.

At the same time, Canada suffered a fresh blow when Beijing formally arrested two Canadians who have been detained for months on national security grounds, a move widely seen as retaliation for Ottawa’s arrest of a Huawei executive last year at Washington’s behest.

In Britain, a heated debate continued over the government’s reported decision to allow some Huawei technology in its coming 5G mobile network, a decision that led to the May 1 firing of defence secretary Gavin Williamson