China on Friday hit out at the United States for its protectionist policies by imposing restrictions on its tech firms, like ZTE, in the name of national security and said Washington was thinking and acting as a “bully.”
“We have noticed that recently the US has been making relevant moves ‘one by one’ by accusing China of forcing technology transfer on the one hand and ‘exclaiming’ on the other hand that Chinese products threaten its national security,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.
‘This is protectionism’
“I believe it reveals that the US is thinking and acting as a bully that only it can have it and others cannot,” she said responding to question on the US Treasury considering ways to restrict sensitive Chinese investments in the country, specially for corporate acquisitions.
On the restrictions on high tech fields, Ms. Hua said: “We believe that they are citing the reason of national security but what they are doing is protectionism.”
“In China, lot of people have iPhone. Do we think it poses a threat? But in the US, if some American consumers buy Huawei cellphone it is regarded as a national security threat. Is the US really this fragile although it is the number one developed country and bellwether in scientific field?
“On the one hand the US is demanding us to open our market but on the other, it is putting obstacles. This is inconsistent with the market principles. They are not living up to the principle of fairness, equality and reciprocity, they have been calling for,” Ms. Hua said. She alleged that the US is using the excuse of national security to crush China’s scientific development.
“China’s contribution to world economy: 57.5 %”
“Last year, China’s scientific development contributed 57.5 per cent for the whole world economy,” the spokeswoman said, adding that China’s efforts in this regard will not be disturbed or halted by external noises.
On Tuesday, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) had threatened retaliatory measures hours after the US announced activation of denial of export privileges against the Chinese telecom equipment maker — ZTE — for alleged violations of the Export Administration Regulations.
“The MOC will closely track the case and is ready to take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies,” MOC spokesperson was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The ZTE has extensive trade and investment cooperation with hundreds of US companies, creating tens of thousands of jobs in the US, the spokesperson had said.
