Global Rivalry over Leadership in ICT Standardization

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed geopolitical tensions resulting from China's rapid ascension to technological power. The increasing technological influence of Chinese companies is particularly apparent in the development of global technology standards in information and communication technologies (ICT). ICT standards codify specifications for interoperability among various technological components and prescribe methods applied in electronic devises; 1 notable examples include wireless LAN specifications, internet protocols, and cellular networks such 4G/ LTE and, more recently, 5G.Influence over the development of ICT standards is potentially highly valuable to commercial stakeholdersinclusion into a standard may increase the value of certain patented technologies; 2 and standard specifications may provide certain firms' products with a competitive advantage. Competition for leadership in ICT standards development has thus long been characterized by rivalry between large commercial stakeholders. At the same time, and with the significantly increasing participation of Chinese companies in many standards development organizations (SDO), there is a growing geopolitical dimension to this commercial competition.Particularly in the United States, the important role of Chinese companies, most notably Huawei, in ICT standards development has fueled a variety of policy initiatives intended to curb the influence of Chinese actors and bolster the position 3 See, among others, the testimony of Christopher Krebs, Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, during the hearing of the Committee on the Judiciary, 5G: National Security Concerns, Intellectual Property Issues, and the Impact on Competition and Innovation (May 14, 2019), www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Krebs%20Responses% 20to%20QFRs.pdf; the statement of Jonathan E. Hillman, Senior Fellow, Simon Chair in Political Economy, and Director, Reconnecting Asia Project, CSIS, before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (January 25, 2018), www.uscc.gov/sites/default/ files/Jonathan%20Hillman%20Written%20Testimony%203.13.20.pdf, providing examples of International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).