DUBLIN, Jan. 5 -- Five days in and already 2021 is getting weird.

We have just learnt that Ericsson CEO Brje Ekholm is lobbying the Swedish government to lift the proposed 5G ban on Huawei and ZTE.

He has even threatened to exit Sweden if his competitors aren't allowed back into the market.

That's dedication. You certainly won't see any Chinese companies advocating on behalf of a foreign competitor.

Of course, this has nothing to do with Huawei or Sweden and everything to do with Ericsson in China.

This is the kabuki dance that CEOs must perform for China to demonstrate their reliability. As Ekholm knows, when it comes to business in China, you can't buy too much insurance.

Ericsson is the last foreign vendor standing in the China 5...