Once you understand that the America-led ‘free’ internet represents an all-out attack on global sovereignty – the apotheosis of US imperialism – the hysteria around Chinese technology makes much more sense. China supplies the only real alternative.
The importance of network hardware is that control over hardware would give the US control over local laws. That is, if there was no alternative, the US (and allies) could have used restrictions on hardware exports to coerce other countries into adopting the ’right’ regulations.
The fact that you can get your hardware from China means that the US can no longer use tech to coerce countries to adopt its favored laws and regulations. Without the Chinese alternative, the US could’ve told anyone without a ‘free’ internet that they can’t have modern telecoms.
With the Chinese alternative available, the US has little recourse against ‘cybersovereignty’, data localization laws, etc. Even if countries still use equipment from the US and its allies, they can threaten to use Chinese equipment if US demands become to onerous.
If states can freely implement laws and regulations over the internet without the US interference that US control over hardware would allow, then they can privilege local services over US-based services (Google, Facebook, etc) or demand greater control over US-based services.
The ‘free’ internet is a classic power asymmetry play. The US knows most states cannot provide real alternatives to US services, so it demands a ‘level playing field’ for its giant corporations to mercilessly crush tiny local enterprises. States seek to privilege local players.
The internet threatens sovereignty in a way that print and broadcast media never did, because it‘s capable of completely undermining state-level gatekeeping unless it’s regulated. The vision of a ‘free’ internet the US pushes is just an internet without any NATIONAL gatekeepers.
The ’free’ internet would be dominated primarily by US companies and content (and generally by its developed world allies), promoting liberal values. Other nations wouldn’t be allowed any legal recourse against this onslaught. Control over hardware would’ve ensured this.
