MP Expresses Alarm about Proposed Chinese Wind Turbine Factory in Scotland

On Thursday, an MP expressed security apprehensions as a Chinese wind turbine giant surged towards establishing its inaugural European manufacturing plant in Scotland.

This development coincides with the announcement by the EU’s competition chief of a preliminary assessment into Chinese wind turbine manufacturers.

Mingyang’s plan to construct a factory in the UK was initially disclosed in December 2021 when it entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

John Edwards, the former HM trade commissioner for China, conveyed the company’s intentions to establish the UK’s premiere turbine assembly factory, making the UK their European manufacturing base.

Regarding Mingyang’s inclusion in Scotland’s SIM priority list, Stewart McDonald MP of the SNP urged the government to elucidate why such a significant project in a strategically sensitive industry has received approval.

He raised concerns, stating, “We are entrusting crucial capability for the net-zero transition to an organization from an authoritarian and antagonistic state at odds with the direction chosen by the European Union and other nations,” in an interview with BBC Scotland.

He added, “Just this week, the EU commenced an anti-trust investigation into Chinese turbine manufacturers. The very company preparing to establish itself in Scotland was rejected by our Norwegian counterparts recently for a similar venture.”

It was further noted by the MP that both Whitehall and the Scottish Government lack a coherent strategy in confronting the challenges posed by China.

On Feb. 16, the Norwegian administration announced its shortlist of qualified applicants for energy production projects in the Southern North Sea II area, with two entities, including Mingyang, not making the cut.

Security and Competition Concerns

Western nations are growing increasingly cautious of Chinese products due to their potential to gather data, spanning communication and surveillance equipment, smart vehicles, household devices, and even cranes. This is attributed to China’s National Intelligence Law, mandating cooperation with national intelligence efforts.

Security experts warn that this legislation enables any Chinese firm to be compelled to surrender data to the government, utilizing it in artificial intelligence algorithms for intelligence purposes.

Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, stressed the need for non-European sensor data from modern wind turbines to be exclusively stored and examined in Europe. He noted that Chinese turbine manufacturers have been able to offer lower prices than European counterparts, with deferred payment conditions that European companies cannot provide.

Karsten Merker, co-general manager for Mingyang Europe, refuted claims of unfair subsidies from the Chinese government, highlighting the company’s listing on the Shanghai stock exchange with accounting regulations and transparency requirements. He clarified that Mingyang does not directly receive support from the state and is open to having its data screened by European wind farm operators before being forwarded to the Chinese manufacturing facility for maintenance.

EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager announced a fresh inquiry into Chinese wind turbine suppliers, scrutinizing wind park development conditions in Spain, Greece, France, Romania, and Bulgaria.

According to a commission spokesperson, information has been requested for a preliminary review process, which may or may not escalate to an extensive investigation by the EU executive.

In response, a Chinese commerce ministry official criticized the EU’s actions, claiming it distorted subsidy definitions and procedural standards, jeopardizing fair competition and the level playing field.

The Epoch Times has sought comments from DBT, the Scottish Government, and Mingyang.

Reuters contributed to this report.