Achi news desk-
Responding to the MP, the Prime Minister insisted that the government was “living up to the challenges” of dealing with Beijing.
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The relationship between the UK and China has soured in recent years.
Earlier this week it emerged that almost every member of the British armed forces had been exposed to Chinese hackers.
Data at risk includes names and bank details for full-time military personnel, part-time reservists, and veterans who left after January 2018.
The Electoral Commission and Parliamentarians critical of Beijing – including Mr McDonald – have also been targeted recently by Chinese actors.
Last month, the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) – a partnership between the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry – backed proposals from Chinese company Mingyang for a turbine manufacturing facility.
It was one of seven new projects announced as part of the second phase of the Strategic Investment Model (SIM) process which seeks to link various projects working on the Scottish offshore wind pipeline with suppliers.
If the Mingyang project goes ahead, it will be the first turbine manufacturing facility to be built in the UK.
Shortly after the company’s involvement was announced, Mr McDonald asked the UK Government whether the facility had been subject to national security checks.
Ministers said they were unable to comment on individual investment cases, “but investment in the energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny.”
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Mr McDonald raised the issue again during First Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
He told MPs: “China has now hacked Defense personnel data, the Electoral Commission, various other public institutions and has targeted many members of this house yet there are plans by China’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, Mingyang Smart Energy, to build its largest European facility right. here in the UK to proceed quickly with the facility to be built in Scotland.
“Given the widely shared concerns about the involvement of hostile states such as China in the UK’s critical national energy infrastructure, does he not agree that now is the time for this project to be delayed, to be reviewed by the government on a case-by-case basis national security? And if not, what message does he think that sends?”
Mr Sunak said China was “a country with different values ​​to ours and acting in an increasingly authoritarian way at home and abroad.”
He added: “It is right that we take further steps to protect ourselves against that, especially in the area of ​​economic security, which is why this government passed the National Security and Investments Act just so we can screen transactions – without commenting on individuals. some, of course – to protect this country.
“And we have used those powers, not least to block Chinese investment in a sensitive semiconductor company, but also to ensure that the Chinese state nuclear company had no part in the future of our nuclear power.
“So we can rest assured that we are alive to the challenges and have passed laws that give us the power to defend against them.”
Mr McDonald said he would follow up the exchange with a letter to the First Minister.
Mingyang and SOWEC have been approached for comment.
