The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

A spokesperson person for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Monday slammed Canada's order for Chinese tech firm Hikvision to close its business operations in the country, and urged Ottawa to immediately correct its wrongful action.

The spokesperson made the remarks, when asked to comment on media reports that a senior Canadian official recently claimed that, following a national security review, the Canadian government believes Hikvision's continued operations in Canada would harm so-called national security, and it has ordered the company to cease operations and shut down its business in the country, and also banned government departments from purchasing or using Hikvision products. 

In response, the spokesperson said that Canada has forcibly shut down Hikvision's operations and banned government departments from purchasing or using its products under the pretext of "national security," to which China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition.

The Chinese government has always encouraged companies to conduct international business in accordance with market principles and has required them to strictly comply with local laws and regulations. Canada's so-called "national security review" process lacks transparency and yields uncertain outcomes, and this is a typical act of overstretching the concept of national security, the MOFCOM spokesperson said, adding that such actions harm the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, undermine business cooperation confidence between enterprises of both countries, and disrupt normal China-Canada economic and trade relations.

At present, the global economic order is being severely impacted by unilateralism and protectionism. China urges Canada to immediately correct its wrongful action and to take concrete steps to support trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, the spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson further urged Canada to stop politicizing and arbitrarily linking economic and trade issue to security, and provide an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for enterprises from all countries, including Chinese companies, to invest and operate in Canada. China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the spokesperson vowed. 

Global Times