Beijing vowed on Wednesday, January 21st to “safeguard” the rights and interests of Chinese businesses if the European Union moves forward with plans to ban “high-risk” foreign telecom suppliers, a step widely seen as targeting China.
Previously, the EU unveiled the proposal on Tuesday as part of revisions to its cybersecurity rules, aiming to strengthen Europe’s defences against a rising wave of cyber attacks. The draft does not specify particular countries or companies, but Brussels has increasingly taken a tough stance on trade with China, often citing security concerns.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun criticized the proposal at a press briefing, calling it protectionist:
We urge the EU to avoid going further down the wrong path of protectionism, otherwise, China will inevitably take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.
Under the plans, the EU could block third-country companies from participating in European mobile networks if they are deemed a security risk. The move builds on measures implemented in 2023, which excluded Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE from EU networks.
Guo warned that the EU’s actions would impose “huge” economic costs:
It is naked protectionism. Behaviour that wantonly interferes in the market and goes against the laws of economics not only fails to achieve so-called security but also incurs huge costs.
