US authorities are sounding the alarm about Chinese cranes in Western ports. The Biden administration suspects the Chinese crane company Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) of espionage.
An investigation into Chinese loading cranes requested by Congress has uncovered communications equipment that does not appear to support normal operation, writes ‘The Wall Street Journal’. The discovery has fueled concerns in Washington that the Chinese-built equipment could pose a threat to national security.
US security officials have previously compared the cranes to “Trojan horses”. Or again: “These taps could be the new Huawei,” referring to the Chinese telecom giant whose products and services the West fears could be used for espionage by the Chinese government.
According to congressional staff and information in the relevant report, the installed components in some cases include cellular modems that can be controlled remotely. “These components do not contribute to the operation of the cranes or maritime infrastructure and are not part of the existing contract between ZPMC and the host U.S. port,” it said.
Shanghai
ZPMC’s main production site is located near Shanghai – and right next to a shipyard where the Chinese Navy builds modern warships. The report also states that through discussions with U.S. port operators and law enforcement agencies, the U.S. government has learned that ZPMC has repeatedly requested remote access to cranes and other maritime infrastructure in the U.S.
ZPMC faucets entered the US market about two decades ago. These were good quality taps that were considerably cheaper than those from Western suppliers. The Chinese manufacturer controls about 70 percent of the cranes worldwide.
The cranes have intelligent sensors that can easily register and trace the origin and destination of containers. This may allow China to collect information about (military) equipment shipped into or out of the country. Many ZPMC cranes are also used in Europe.
“Tip of the iceberg”
China expert Jonathan Holslag previously sounded the alarm about Chinese cargo ships that are actually warships. He then explained that these developments are just the tip of the iceberg. “The Chinese spy network is huge, expanding and unstoppable,” he said. “They want to have a diverse number of sources in their spy network. The wider the number of sources, the more agile they are. And in times of crisis they keep alternatives at hand.”
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