World News

Cross posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/2020642

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Whilst the threat to Europe’s economic autonomy from a reliance on Chinese technologies has been evident for some time, many are now fearing that this dependence has created significant vulnerability in terms of national security [...]

Security services are fearful that sensors embedded within the hardware [of green energy technology] could collect data, control assets or even be used to monitor shipping and submarine activity if attached to wind turbines, for instance. As Chinese businesses dominate renewable supply chains in the green energy sector, there are limited options to source equipment from Western suppliers [...]

There are also wider concerns about the ownership of European terminals by Chinese companies, such as in Hamburg and Piraeus in Greece. One research paper commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Policies suggested that not only should Chinese investment in critical infrastructures be reviewed (and potentially blocked) at a European level, but that ports using Chinese software should be identified as well as the data being transmitted. It was also suggested that all EU members should put in place laws, ‘…to retake control of ports/terminals and other maritime infrastructures ownership and/or considered contingency plans in case that is required in a scenario of conflict (kinetic or otherwise) with China, in co-ordination with EU and other Member States.’

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