China has thrown an accusation to Britain of discrimination and inappropriate attacking Chinese technology companies after the British government proposed a law to block market access and business transaction for telecommunications equipment giant Huawei and other suppliers deemed to be high risk.
The Foreign Ministry has not said whether Beijing could retaliate if the law proposed Tuesday is approved. It would strengthen security requirements for next-generation fibre-optic and wireless networks and violators.
The Trump administration is convincing Europe and other allies from the United Nations and eradicate Huawei and other Chinese suppliers as they improve telecommunications networks. Washington says Huawei, China’s first global technology brand, poses a security risk, which the company denied the allegations.
“Without any evidence, the British side has repeatedly cooperated with the United States to discriminate against and suppress Chinese companies under the pretext of unfounded risks,” said a ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian.
Britain is “blatantly violating the principles of market economy and free trade, seriously damages the normal business of Chinese companies,” and damages trust between the two governments, Zhao said.
Huawei is at the centre of tensions between China and the United States over technology and security.
The Trump administration is trying to limit access to the US market to Chinese companies that it believes may collect too much user information or pose other risks. They include the TikTok video app, HikVision video surveillance provider, and WeChat messaging service.
The bill proposed on Tuesday would formalize British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s July order to block Huawei from a planned fifth-generation network, or 5G. Britain had previously assigned Huawei a limited role but reversed it under pressure from the United States.
A similar conflict also happened when the British flag was lowered over Hong Kong when the colony was returned to China in 1997 after more than 150 years of British rule, imposed after Britain defeated China in WWI.’ opium.
Hong Kong’s new breed of autonomy was guaranteed under the One Country, and Two Systems Agreement took advantage in the Sino-British Joint Declaration signed by then Chinese Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Britain summoned on the Chinese ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, to express and discuss its deep concerns. Also, Raab’s deputy, Nigel Adams, told parliament that it was planning to impose possible sanctions against individuals for the actions from China.
“We will continue to consider designations under our Magnitsky-style sanctions regime,” said Adams, the British minister for Asia, referring to sanctions similar to those imposed on those held responsible for human rights violations in the US. Magnitski law. Lawmakers asked him if Britain would sanction Hong Kong CEO Carrie Lam.
Adams said it wouldn’t be helpful to speculate on the names at this stage. The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for an official statement.
The European Union has asked Beijing to immediately overturn the new rules, which it believes have undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy.
The United States, which has already sanctioned Lam and other Chinese officials for the crackdown on Wednesday, warned of further steps.
US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said China has “blatantly violated its international commitments”, and Washington will “continue to identify and punish those responsible for eradicating Hong Kong’s freedom.”
Canada said on Thursday that it would be easier for young people from Hong Kong to study and work in Canada in response to new security regulations.
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition groups, MPs said last Wednesday they would consider resigning in protest at the resignation of four of their colleagues from the assembly of the city after Beijing gave the signal to the local authorities new powers to reduce further dissent.
China’s parliament previously adopted a resolution allowing the city’s executive to expel lawmakers believed to be supporting Hong Kong’s independence, colluding with foreign forces or threatening national security, without having to go through the courts.
Opposition members of the Hong Kong assembly said they tried to take a stand against what many in Hong Kong see as Beijing’s curtailment of institutional freedoms and controls, despite the promise of a high degree of autonomy.
China refuses to restrict rights and freedoms in the global financial centre. Still, authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have swiftly repressed dissent after protests against the government flared up in June last year and plunged the city in crisis.
Opinions expressed by US Insider contributors are their own.
