Beijing vows to retaliate against ‘export-control measures’
BRUSSELS: China could retaliate against the United States after President Donald Trump blacklisted Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, said the Chinese ambassador to the European Union.
Trump upped the ante in his trade dispute with China last week, announcing moves to curb Huawei’s business that are starting to have ramifications for other companies around the world.
“This is wrong behaviour, so there will be a necessary response,” said Zhang Ming, here, on Monday.
“Chinese companies’ legitimate rights and interests are being undermined, so the Chinese government will not sit idly by.”
Trump on Friday signed an order that could restrict Huawei and fellow Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corp. from selling their equipment in the US.
The Trump administration, which says Chinese companies are obliged to aid Beijing in espionage, also put Huawei on a blacklist that could forbid it from doing business with American firms.
Calling the moves “politically motivated” and an “abuse of export-control measures”, Zhang said “the US government is trying to bring down Huawei through administrative means”.
He said China would “make the best possible effort to defend the legitimate right and interests of Chinese firms” and urged Washington “not to go further down the wrong path, to avoid disturbances to China-US relations”.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Monday said to “wait and see” with regards to what countermeasures the Chinese government and enterprises could take in response to the US measures against Huawei.
“China has unwavering resolve to defend its legitimate right and interests,” said Zhang.
“If the US wants to fight, we will accompany to the end and we will also fight earnestly.”