The sources said the US government plans to issue the directive before MWC Barcelona, a major industry conference scheduled to take place on 25-28 February, to signal that future US high-end technology contracts must focus on cybersecurity.
"There’s a big push to get it out before MWC", an industry source familiar with the matter said as quoted by Politico on 7 February.
According to the source close to the Trump administration, with 5G infrastructure being developed, US senior officials want "to move the needle" on their security messaging.
"Contracts are going out now. Extra stigma could change the situation out in the countries on this major decision", the source said.
Relations between the United States and China worsened amid a current trade war between the countries since Trump announced last June that $50 billion worth of Chinese goods would be subject to 25 percent tariffs in a bid to fix the US-Chinese trade deficit. Since the two countries have exchanged several rounds of trade tariffs.
