Lithuania, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a U.S.-European military alliance, banned three of its international airports from using security screening equipment from China’s largest manufacturer, Nuctech, on the grounds of national security concerns. airport security equipment. On the same day, another Eastern European country, Ukraine, also imposed sanctions against a Chinese airline for an investment case.
Rasa Jakilaitiene, a spokesman for Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, said a parliamentary commission concluded that China’s Tongfang Nuctech equipment was “not in the interests of national security,” but the spokesman said the information was classified and could not give more details. The spokesman said the information was classified and no further details could be given.
The Lithuanian parliamentary committee on national security and defense noted that Tongfang Nuctech’s security equipment could collect information on passengers and luggage and hand it over to the Chinese government and intelligence agencies; committee chairman Laurynas Kasciunas said, “Investments and acquisitions in strategic industries must comply with trans-Pacific security guidelines. This decision shows that Lithuania has decided not to be part of the technology scene created and controlled by China.”
“The Wall Street Journal reported last June that after blocking huawei, the U.S. was targeting Tongfang Nuctech, fearing that the company posed security concerns for NATO allies and lobbying European countries not to use Tongfang Nuctech’s equipment.
Last year, Tongfang Nuctech won three international airports in Lithuania, but has not yet signed a contract for baggage security equipment. Lithuania is a strong U.S. ally in NATO, with a battalion of U.S. troops stationed in its territory. Lithuania’s intelligence agency warned in its annual report that “active penetration of Chinese investments” poses the risk of “losing control over resources and infrastructure, market manipulation and political influence.
On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed an order sanctioning China’s Beijing Skyrizon Aviation, including freezing the company’s assets in Ukraine, restricting business transactions, and prohibiting the transfer of The order includes freezing the company’s assets in Ukraine, restricting business transactions and prohibiting the transfer of assets out of Ukraine for three years.
“Beijing Skyrizon originally acquired more than 50 percent of the shares of Ukrainian aircraft engine manufacturer Motor Sich with Ukraine’s DCH Group, but the Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee rejected the application last August after the U.S. government repeatedly voiced its opposition. After repeated opposition from the U.S. government, the Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee rejected the acquisition application last August. Before he left office, former U.S. President Donald Trump placed Beijing Tianjiao on the Military End User (MEU) list, restricting it from purchasing U.S. products and technologies.
Recent Comments