China News Service, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Wall Street Journal recently quoted U.S. officials as saying that Chinese cranes "may pose a potential security risk to the United States."

In response, Chinese heavy equipment manufacturing company Zhenhua Heavy Industries responded on the 9th that the cranes provided by the company will not pose a cybersecurity risk to any port.

  U.S. media quoted U.S. congressional aides as saying that cranes produced in China are equipped with advanced sensors that can record and track the origin and destination of containers.

US media speculated that this means that China "can obtain the US military's transportation intelligence and military operations and other related information through this method."

  The report also claimed that Chinese cranes were equipped with "cellular modems" and said the devices could be accessed remotely.

U.S. officials also "inferred" that China may close U.S. ports by "controlling cranes."

  In response, ZPMC issued a statement on the 9th saying that it would take the US concerns seriously and believed that relevant reports could easily mislead the public without sufficient factual review.

  The statement pointed out that the company has always strictly abided by the laws and regulations of relevant countries and regions, and operated in compliance with the law on this basis.

Cranes supplied by ZPMC are used in ports around the world, including the United States.

These cranes are designed, manufactured, transported, installed and commissioned, and delivered after acceptance in strict accordance with international standards, applicable laws and regulations, and technical specifications determined by customers.

  The statement emphasized that the cranes provided by the company do not pose a cybersecurity risk to any port.

  Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded on February 23 that the so-called "China remotely controls port cranes to collect data" is completely nonsense.

China firmly opposes the United States' generalization of the concept of national security, abuse of state power, and unreasonable suppression of Chinese products and companies.

Toolizing and weaponizing economic and trade issues will only intensify the security risks of the global production and supply chain, ultimately harming others and ourselves.

  Mao Ning pointed out that China hopes that the United States can effectively respect the principles of market economy and fair competition and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese enterprises to operate.

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