China Rejects US Attacks on Tech Firms as ‘Tech Bullying’
China’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected recent remarks by US officials attacking Chinese technology companies, calling the statements a distortion of facts and an act of “blatant technological bullying and unilateral coercion.” The rebuke came during the ministry’s regular press briefing on Monday, following a coordinated social media campaign by US State Department officials warning Latin American partners about alleged espionage risks from Chinese firms.
The Dispute
The controversy began when Juan Pablo Segura, the US State Department’s Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, posted a warning on social media naming Chinese technology companies including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, Dahua, and DJI. Segura claimed that Chinese law forces these suppliers to cooperate with Beijing’s intelligence services, creating risks of spying, hacking, and network shutdowns, and urged US partners in the Americas to “quickly switch to trusted suppliers.”
According to SCMP, the post was shared by the US Embassy in Panama minutes after it was published, and the US Embassy in Santo Domingo also circulated a Spanish-language translation of the message. The Chinese Embassy in Panama responded with a statement rejecting the accusation as lacking “the slightest factual basis,” suggesting the US was acting like “a thief shouting ‘stop thief’.”
China’s Response
On Sunday, the Chinese Embassy in the Dominican Republic issued an official statement calling the US accusations “pure fabrication and a deliberate distortion of reality” that reflect “a Cold War mentality” and expose “the arrogance and prejudice of the United States.” The embassy’s statement, published on its official website, expressed “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the US remarks.
At Monday’s press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian escalated the response. “Such remarks fabricate facts and distort right and wrong, constituting blatant technological bullying and unilateral coercion. China firmly opposes them,” Lin said, as reported by Xinhua News.
Lin defended Chinese tech companies, stating they offer “advanced technologies, high cost-effectiveness, and safe and efficient services” and strictly comply with local laws and regulations when operating overseas. He noted that these firms have “won widespread recognition and favor from local partners and people” and are “truly trustworthy suppliers.”
Counter-Accusations
The Chinese spokesperson turned the tables on Washington, pointing out that “the US has long engaged in eavesdropping, surveillance and cyberattacks in Latin America and the Caribbean, making countries in the Americas feel unsafe and distrustful.” The full exchange is documented in the Foreign Ministry’s press conference transcript.
Lin urged the US to “stop its political manipulation and stop interfering with the right of sovereign countries to independently choose their partners,” calling for actions that contribute to the prosperity and stability of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Broader Context
This incident is part of a wider pattern of US-China competition over technology influence in the Western Hemisphere. According to Global Times, the exchange comes amid a broader US campaign that has included warnings from the US Ambassador to Argentina, Peter Lamelas, who in mid-August demanded Argentina restrict Chinese companies from infrastructure projects tied to energy development in Vaca Muerta.
The Chinese Embassy in Argentina responded by rejecting the accusations as “baseless smears,” as Global Times reported, noting that Huawei is the only provider of 5G network technology in Argentina and that no US company can replace it.
Regional Implications
The diplomatic clash has placed countries like the Dominican Republic squarely in the middle of the US-China rivalry. As Diario Libre noted, the Dominican government has not publicly commented on the exchange between the two embassies, even as it has deepened ties with Washington under President Luis Abinader.
What’s Next
The timing is significant. According to Breitbart, the exchange comes weeks before an expected Xi-Trump summit in Washington, adding diplomatic weight to the confrontation. The pattern of tit-for-tat embassy statements across multiple Latin American countries suggests this dispute is unlikely to fade quickly, with both powers continuing to compete for influence over the region’s technology infrastructure and sovereign choices.