China has intensified restrictions on European telecom equipment makers Nokia and Ericsson, further squeezing them out of the market as President Xi Jinping pursues a strategy of technological self-reliance. State-backed buyers, including mobile operators and utilities, are now subjecting foreign bids to extensive “black box” national security reviews by the Cyberspace Administration of China. These reviews can last months, putting European groups at a disadvantage against Chinese rivals such as Huawei, which face no equivalent scrutiny, the Financial Times reported.

European suppliers losing market share

The tougher regime has sharply reduced Nokia and Ericsson’s presence in China’s mobile telecom networks. According to research firm Dell’Oro Group, their combined market share fell to a

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