China News Agency, Beijing, March 9th (Reporter Li Jingze) Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference held in Beijing on the 9th that China expressed its disapproval of the Dutch side's administrative intervention in restricting normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and Dutch companies. Dissatisfied, representations have been lodged with the Dutch side.
A reporter asked a question. According to reports, Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Schreiner Macher sent a letter to the Dutch Parliament saying that due to national security considerations, the Netherlands will implement restrictive measures on its chip exports before this summer.
What is China's comment?
Mao Ning said that the Chinese side has noticed the relevant reports, expressed dissatisfaction with the Dutch side's administrative intervention in restricting the normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and Dutch companies, and has lodged representations with the Dutch side.
In recent years, in order to deprive China of its right to development and maintain its own hegemony, the United States has generalized the concept of national security, politicized and instrumentalized economic, trade and technological issues, and coerced and lured some countries to adopt export restrictions on China.
The bullying and high-handed behavior severely undermines market rules and the international economic and trade order, not only damages the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, but also severely impacts the stability of global industrial and supply chains and the development of the world economy. China firmly opposes this.
She emphasized that she hopes that the Dutch side will uphold the objective and fair stance and market principles, respect the spirit of the contract, not abuse export control measures, maintain the stability of the international industrial chain supply chain and a free and open international trade order, and safeguard the common interests of China and the Netherlands and their enterprises.
Another Dutch reporter asked a question. The Netherlands is worried that if it sells advanced ASML lithography machines to China, it will eventually lose its competitive advantage in this industry.
Does China understand the concerns of the Dutch side?
"Why do you suffer losses when you conduct normal trade with China? Why are you in this situation? Is it because some countries use economic and trade issues as tools and weapons to put pressure on the Netherlands to ask you to do something or not to do something?" Mao Ning said that what China firmly opposes is artificially interfering with economic and trade cooperation and artificially undermining the stability of the global production and supply chain, which is not in the interests of any party.
There is also a question from a reporter. The Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands said frankly that this new lithography machine export restriction is aimed at maintaining the leading position of the Netherlands in science and technology and reducing its strategic dependence on China. What?
Will China consider taking countermeasures?
If so, what specific countermeasures?
Mao Ning said that it is understandable to want to maintain a leading position in science and technology and maintain competitiveness. The key is to compete fairly and not to politicize or weaponize economic, trade and technological issues.
She pointed out that the so-called "dependence" on China is actually the result of the combined effect of market laws and corporate choices.
This also fully shows that in the era of globalization, there is me in you, and you in me.
It is not in the interests of any party to artificially split the global supply chain.
Mao Ning said that we hope that the Dutch side can uphold an objective and fair position and market principles, respect the spirit of the contract, not abuse export control measures, and safeguard the common interests of China and the Netherlands and their companies.
China will also safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
(over)