BEIJING — As tensions rise between the United States and China in the high-tech realm, even a merger of two American wireless providers has become entangled in fears about losing international competitiveness.

T-Mobile and Sprint announced on Sunday that they would combine. By joining forces, the two mobile carriers said, they would help ensure that American companies remained world leaders in the coming era of fifth-generation wireless technology, or 5G.

The implication: Failure to keep up in 5G would give China and Chinese firms the edge.

Many analysts believe that such talk is merely aimed at persuading the Trump administration to approve the deal. Regulators blocked a previous merger attempt by the companies, worried that fewer wireless providers would lead to higher prices.

“They kept pointing to China on the call, but that is just a nice way to grease the skids,” said Will Townsend, an analyst with Moor Insights and Strategy, a research firm based in Texas, referring to a T-Mobile conference call with reporters and analysts on Sunday.