The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has issued a stern warning to the European Union, stating it is prepared to take necessary measures to protect its domestic industries if a pending revision of the EU Cybersecurity Act leads to the discriminatory exclusion of Chinese firms.

During a press briefing on Thursday, MOFCOM spokesperson He Yongqian revealed that Beijing formally submitted a set of dissenting opinions to the European Commission on April 17. The core of China’s grievance centers on the draft’s introduction of "non-technical risk" factors, a term Beijing argues is a subjective tool for political maneuvering. The proposed law seeks to blacklist "high-risk suppliers" and "countries of cybersecurity concern" across 18 critical sectors, including energy, transport, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), effectively purging them from the European supply chain.

Beijing has labeled the EU’s move a classic example of politicizing economic and trade issues under the guise of national security. MOFCOM indicated that if Chinese companies face discriminatory treatment, Beijing will respond using the Foreign Trade Law of the People's Republic of China and the Regulations of the State Council on the Security of Industrial and Supply Chains. While the spokesperson did not detail specific retaliatory steps, these legal frameworks allow China to restrict trade, launch investigations into foreign entities, or implement reciprocal bans on European companies operating within the Chinese market.

This escalating tension puts the global ICT and renewable energy supply chains at a crossroads. By targeting "high-risk" vendors, which is a label frequently applied to Chinese giants like Huawei and ZTE, Chinese media are stating that the EU aims to bolster its digital sovereignty. However, Beijing’s threat of a counter-strike suggests that European firms in Chinese high-tech sectors could face a reciprocal exclusion. Despite the aggressive rhetoric, He Yongqian emphasized that China still views cooperative dialogue as the correct path, urging the EU to reconsider the draft to maintain the stability of global production and supply chains.