Editorial丨Crackdown on Chinese firms politically driven

The European Union's latest decision to phase out Chinese components and equipment from critical infrastructure such as telecommunications and solar energy, on the pretext of safeguarding "security", reflects an ideological bias that threatens to undermine the cooperative and mutually beneficial Sino-EU trade relations.

欧盟以保障“安全”为借口，在其最新决议中表示将逐步淘汰电信和太阳能等关键基础设施中的中国零部件和设备。这种做法反映出一种意识形态偏见，可能危及中欧互利共赢的贸易关系。

The restrictive measures, set out by the European Commission on Tuesday in revisions to the EU Cybersecurity‍Act, build on actions taken in 2023 when the EU executive arm urged member states to exclude Huawei and ZTE from their mobile networks due to "security risks".

欧盟委员会周二在修订《欧盟网络安全法》时提出的限制性措施，延续了2023年的行动——当时欧盟执行机构以“安全风险”为由，敦促成员国将华为和中兴排除在移动网络之外。

But if security truly was the issue, there would be a transparent, evidence-based process to address these concerns, rather than sweeping administrative bans. Such prejudicial actions not only damage the trust necessary for bilateral trade, but also harm the interests of European companies and consumers.

但若安全问题确属关键，理应通过透明、基于证据的程序来解决，而非采取一刀切的行政禁令。此类有失公允的举措不仅损害双边贸易所需的信任基础，更损害欧洲企业和消费者的利益。

Chinese enterprises have beenintegral to the EU's technological advancement, providing high-quality and cost-effective solutions that have significantly contributed to the bloc's economic growth, job creation and digital transformation. From building 5G networks and advancing smart city projects in Europe, Chinese technology companies such as Huawei have demonstrated their commitment to compliance and innovation over the years.

中国企业始终是欧盟技术进步的重要组成部分，其提供的高质量、高性价比解决方案为欧盟的经济增长、就业创造和数字化转型作出了重大贡献。从建设5G网络到推进欧洲智慧城市项目，华为等中国科技企业多年来始终展现出对合规与创新的坚定承诺。

The earlier targeting of Huawei and ZTE was influenced by external pressures from the United States, which has long sought to exclude Chinese entities from global technology markets. And the bloc has been pursuing so-called "de-risking" since then. Although recent pressure from the US and other realities have prompted the EU to adopt a more pragmatic approach, it hasn't softened its stance in the telecommunications sector, although the specific implementation varies from country to country.

早先针对华为和中兴的打压受到美国外部压力的影响，美国长期以来一直试图将中国企业排除在全球技术市场之外。此后，欧盟一直在推行所谓的“去风险化”政策。尽管近期来自美国的压力及其他现实因素促使欧盟采取更务实的态度，但其在电信领域的立场并未软化，尽管具体实施方式因国而异。

This is because some European politicians still believe "security" to be a core issue in trade with China, and they try to mislead the EU to exclude Chinese suppliers. Ironically, these politicians pretend to be blind to the substantial security threats from the US, not only to the EU's economy and trade but also its members' territorial integrity.

究其根源，部分欧洲政客仍将“安全”视为对华贸易的核心议题，试图误导欧盟排斥中国供应商。讽刺的是，这些政客对美国带来的实质性安全威胁视而不见——这种威胁不仅危及欧盟的经济贸易，更威胁到成员国的领土完整。

The economic implications of excluding Chinese technology are profound. The financial burden of replacing established infrastructure is substantial, and the resultant delays in technological advancement could hinder Europe's competitiveness in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. This has been evidenced by the experience of the United Kingdom, where the exclusion of Huawei in 2020 led to significant delays and increased the costs of the country's 5G rollout.

排除中国技术将产生深远的经济影响——更换现有基础设施的财务负担相当沉重，由此导致的技术进步延迟可能阻碍欧洲在快速发展的数字领域中的竞争力。英国的经验就证明了这一点：2020年将华为排除在外，导致该国5G网络部署出现重大延误，成本增加。

It is estimated that replacing Chinese telecommunications equipment within the EU would cost billions of euros; over 90 percent of solar panels in the EU are manufactured in China, and manufacturing solar panels locally in the EU could be 160 percent more expensive than manufacturing them in China. Currently, Chinese inverters are used in the generation of over 200 gigawatts of power in the EU; and 70 percent of the inverters in newly installed solar power capacity in 2023 were imported from China, with Chinese products more than 20 percent cheaper than those from the EU.

据估算，欧盟境内替换中国电信设备将耗资数十亿欧元；欧盟90%以上的太阳能电池板产自中国，若在欧盟本土制造，成本可能比中国高出160%。目前欧盟超过200吉瓦的发电量依赖中国逆变器；2023年新增太阳能装机容量中70%的逆变器来自中国进口，且中国产品比欧盟同类产品便宜20%以上。

Instead of excluding Chinese technology, the EU should focus on fostering innovation and building partnerships with Chinese companies that enhance its technological capabilities while respecting the principles of free trade.

欧盟不应排斥中国技术，而应致力于培育创新能力，并与中国企业建立合作伙伴关系，在尊重自由贸易原则的前提下提升自身技术实力。

China's leading position in certain industries is the result of continuous technological innovation and the advantages of its manufacturing system, and should not be portrayed as a "threat". China's development is a global opportunity, not a threat to any country.

中国在某些产业领域的领先地位，源于持续的技术创新和制造业体系的优势，不应被描绘成“威胁”。中国的发展是全球机遇，而非对任何国家的威胁。

It is imperative that the EU reassess its approach toward Chinese enterprises, and try to balance its "security" concerns with the benefits of continued collaboration with China.

欧盟亟需重新评估对华企业政策，在“安全”顾虑与持续合作带来的利益间寻求平衡。

The EU stands at a crossroads. It can either succumb to protectionist tendencies that threaten to isolate it in an interconnected world, or it can embrace a path of rational, unbiased engagement that features open trade and mutual benefit. The choice will not only influence the future of China-EU economic relations, but also determine the EU's role in the global economic order. European countries should rationally consider this from an objective perspective, reflecting on how its "de-risking" practices have distracted the bloc's attention from its real security threat while misleading it to falsely identify a partner as a "threat".

欧盟正处十字路口：或屈从于保护主义倾向，在互联世界中自我孤立；或选择理性公正的开放合作之路，践行互利共赢的贸易理念。这一抉择不仅将影响中欧经济关系的未来走向，更将决定欧盟在全球经济秩序中的定位。欧洲各国应当以客观视角理性审视：其“去风险化”举措不仅转移了欧盟对真正安全威胁的关注，更误导其将合作伙伴错误归类为“威胁”。

de-risking

去风险化

Integral

/ˈɪn.t̬ə.ɡrəl/

adj.不可或缺的