China could "blackmail" Germany - Beijing risks increasing influence in the country through wind turbines
Germany's political system and social cohesion are at risk if it does not restrict Chinese wind turbines in the country, a government-backed analysis warns.
The report, which was commissioned by the German defense ministry, argues that Beijing could deliberately delay projects, collect sensitive data and remotely shut down turbines if given access to wind farms. It also advises the country to halt an existing wind project that uses Chinese turbines.
"When systems or components from Chinese manufacturers are used... given the political situation, it can even be assumed that such a slowdown or even disruption would be deliberately used by China as a means of political pressure or even as an instrument of economic warfare," the analysis prepared by the German Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies states.
"A destabilization of the political system, the business model of German industry and social cohesion cannot be ruled out due to the lack of or insufficient planning certainty in the energy sector," the authors emphasize.
The report comes amid growing concerns about critical infrastructure risks in Europe. Since 2022, at least six incidents of suspected underwater sabotage have occurred in the Baltic Sea.
Meanwhile, Brussels has begun cracking down on Chinese wind suppliers, suspecting they are receiving state subsidies that give them an advantage in the competition for European Union projects. Last year, the European Commission launched an investigation into Beijing-linked wind projects in Bulgaria, France, Greece, Romania and Spain.
These risks are expected to increase if ties with the Asian superpower deteriorate, according to experts.
Over-reliance on China also increases the risk of cyberattacks that could "lead to a production shutdown," analysts say, adding that similar public warnings or legal moves to limit Beijing's access have already occurred in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Poland and Lithuania.
If relations with China further strain, Beijing could delay the operation of the new farms by "at least four to five years" and could coordinate other disruptive efforts with Russia.
Part of the risk also comes from the access that manufacturers have to the turbines, the study said. Beijing’s suppliers will have access to the software that controls the active turbines and can collect data from hundreds of radars built into the farms. This is a critical issue, given that wind produced a third of Germany’s electricity last year and a fifth of the EU’s total.
Raporti argumenton se një situatë e tillë do t'i jepte Kinës "potencial të konsiderueshëm shantazhi në të ardhmen".
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