Pompeo Visit: US’s Anti-China Recruitment Drive Targets Willing Central Europeans

All the countries that the secretary of state will visit - labelled "great friends of America" by Pompeo - have indicated a willingness to follow Washington's call to shun Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. The US insists it is a security threat and should be blocked from participating in the rollout of 5G networks.

After a sluggish start, the US campaign in Europe is gathering momentum. In a sudden about face, the UK banned Huawei last month, prompting fury in Beijing. Pompeo will use his trip to encourage this Central European "coalition of the willing" to continue resisting Chinese pressure.

On the eve of the trip, Pompeo called for "a new alliance of democracies" to challenge "the Chinese century of which Xi Jinping dreams".

A pro-China activist uses a fly swatter on a poster depicting US President Donald Trump (L) and State Secretary Mike Pompeo (R) during a protest outside the US Consulate in Hong Kong, China, August 4, 2020. EPA-EFE/JEROME FAVRE

Playing ball

However, not all in the region are playing ball. Pompeo won't be stopping off in Hungary, despite President Trump's open admiration for nationalist and populist premier, Viktor Orban. Budapest, which enjoys perhaps the closest ties of any EU capital to Beijing, has shrugged off the US warnings and Huawei is already working on the building of Hungary's 5G network.

"Warsaw and Prague are both following the line of this US administration more closely," said Peter Kreko, head of Budapest-based think-tank Political Capital. "Pompeo's decision not to visit Slovakia or Hungary definitely sends a message."

In contrast, Pompeo expects an enthusiastic welcome from Prime Minister Andrej Babis in Prague. The government led by the billionaire,...