Wire flash
China urges EU to heed European telecoms' concerns over Cybersecurity Act costs
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
On September 16, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to a question about an open letter from the European telecom lobbying group Connect Europe. The letter, co-signed by the heads of 17 major European telecom companies, warns that proposed amendments to the EU's Cybersecurity Act would force telecom operators to spend an additional €40 billion on equipment replacement, diverting funds from fiber-optic, 5G, and 6G network development. Guo Jiakun stated that China has noted the reports and cited previous assessments suggesting the bill could cost the EU over €360 billion in losses over five years. He characterized the EU's approach as protectionist and harmful, arguing it would undermine Europe's digital transformation, market openness, and investor confidence. Guo called on the EU to listen to rational voices from all sectors in Europe and avoid adopting discriminatory restrictive measures. The remarks were reported by CCTV News.
Source report
Jin10 Data, September 16 — At a regular press conference on September 16, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed a question regarding an open letter issued by European telecommunications lobbying group Connect Europe.
Journalist's Question
The journalist noted that on September 15, Connect Europe published an open letter warning that the proposed amendment to the EU's Cybersecurity Act would force European telecom companies to spend an additional €40 billion on equipment replacement. This would divert funds that could otherwise be used for building fiber-optic, 5G, and 6G networks. The letter was co-signed by the heads of 17 major European telecom companies. The journalist asked for China's comment on the matter.
Guo Jiakun's Response
Guo Jiakun stated that China has taken note of the relevant reports. He highlighted the following points:
- Previous assessments by relevant institutions indicated that the bill could cause losses exceeding €360 billion for the EU over the next five years.
- The open letter from European telecom companies once again demonstrates that the EU's approach "harms others without benefiting itself."
- Protectionism will not yield competitiveness; it will only:
- Cause missed opportunities in digital transformation
- Undermine Europe's economic and social development
- Damage Europe's image of market openness
- Dampen confidence among companies from various countries considering investment in Europe
Guo Jiakun expressed hope that the EU will listen to rational voices from all sectors in Europe and avoid adopting discriminatory restrictive measures.
(Source: CCTV News)
Source
金十数据Eastern
Part of this Story
EU telecom CEOs warn cybersecurity law could drain 5G funds; China urges rethink