We’re letting China win the 5G race. It’s time to catch up

America has no domestic manufacturer of 5G equipment, so it must rely on European or Chinese suppliers. China already has Huawei and ZTE, the biggest 5G equipment suppliers in the world, allowing it to move to market quickly. In China, 5G is already available in more than 50 cities, while in the United States there is only 5G E, which is no substitute for a truly competitive 5G network.

We need a catch-up strategy to close this gap quickly. And it’s time for an honest assessment of how our government has let our innovators and businesses down.

Erecting an economic iron curtain, as some policymakers are calling for, won’t halt Beijing’s progress — nor will it energize ours. Washington needs to focus not simply on trying to slow China down but on accelerating efforts at home.

For instance, much of the needed spectrum for 5G is still used for military purposes or satellites, leading to carriers and the FCC battling over spectrum allocation. Rather than acting as a brake, Washington must put its foot on the gas, allocate funding to support 5G and find ways to offset the higher cost of rolling it out. In addition, our manufacturers must be ready for the ride. It is not only about retraining workers but also expediting new products and services to market that will benefit from the Internet of Things.