The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on Friday voiced strong opposition to the European Union's approach to associate Chinese enterprises with cybersecurity risks, warning that such measures violate international trade rules and harm both Chinese and European interests.
The EU is reportedly advancing a revised draft of the Cybersecurity Act, which will prohibit Chinese companies from participating in critical infrastructure construction in EU member states.
At a regular press conference held on Friday, CCPIT spokeswoman Wang Yifei expressed firm opposition to the EU's practice of directly linking enterprises from specific countries or with specific national backgrounds to cybersecurity risks, and excluding them from relevant EU supply chains.
"Implementing market access restrictions, replacing existing equipment, and excluding certification qualifications for suppliers from specific countries clearly exceed the necessary limits for maintaining cybersecurity. They conflict with the basic rules of the World Trade Organization, international service trade commitments, and investment protection rules," she said.
The CCPIT said that if specific country suppliers are totally excluded based on generalized security reasons, it would not only damage the legitimate rights and interests of other relevant market entities, including Chinese enterprises, but also weaken the business environment of the EU market.
"European enterprises will face practical pressures such as rising costs, reduced procurement options, declining supply chain stability, and extended technology adaptation cycles. Ultimately, these costs will be passed onto EU consumers and public service systems. According to incomplete statistics, if this law is implemented, the affected investment in Europe will exceed hundreds of billions of euros, while affecting the employment of tens of thousands in Europe," said Wang.
China opposes EU's cybersecurity-linked restrictions on Chinese firms
