The Dutch Military Intelligence Service has suggested today (Wednesday) that China has partially tried, outside the scope of export restrictions, to obtain knowledge and assets from the Dutch aerospace and aerospace industry, according to the “AFP”.
The Dutch Military Intelligence Service warned that “the Netherlands remains an attractive target for Chinese espionage, especially in the semiconductor industry, quantum technologies, and the aerospace and maritime industries.”
And in 2022, the agency had “monitored and warned of several Chinese attempts to obtain (military) technology,” according to what was announced by its president, Jan Swellans, in an annual report.
In addition, Swellans warned that “Dutch companies and institutes of education and science are being targeted on a large scale.”
He explained that “China is developing at a rapid pace advanced weapons with the most advanced technologies,” referring to “various types of anti-satellite weapons of a highly destructive nature.”
The agency stressed that China is working intensively to launch satellites. It is believed that it intends to conduct 100 launches per year, noting that in 2020 these operations were limited to regarding 40.
The agency explained that what is being launched is mainly “intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications satellites.”
According to the Dutch device, the Chinese want to be pioneers in quantum communication networks in space that allow for faster and safer communication in the whole world.
According to the agency, “intercepting this type of communication is more difficult,” which gives “a great military advantage.”
The device was able to detect a number of companies that China uses as a front to circumvent export restrictions.
On Monday, the Dutch intelligence service warned that China was “the greatest threat to the economic security of the Netherlands”.
The Netherlands is the European leader in the manufacture of chips, the indispensable electronic components to power smartphones, cars and military equipment.
After pressure from the United States, The Hague announced in March to curb the export of technologies to the chip industry for security reasons.
At that time, China strongly criticized the decision, noting that in the framework of the production of electronic chips, it needed machines produced by it, especially the Dutch company “ASML”, the largest producer of semiconductors in Europe.