Q: Certain media and people have recently hyped up again the story that Alibaba’s Liège Airport logistics project engages in “espionage”, claiming that the Belgian state security agency has been monitoring the project. What is your comment on this?

 A: The Chinese side has noticed relevant remarks. Certain people, media and security agencies in Belgium have hyped up similar groundless remarks for years. They have made false accusations against relevant Chinese companies on the basis on subjective conjecture only, without providing any concrete fact or evidence. This kind of behavior,  extremely unserious and irresponsible, has seriously undermined the credit of Chinese companies and brought potential damage to normal business operation. We hereby express our strong discontent and firm rejection.

Currently, practical cooperation between China and Belgium in different areas has enjoyed sound momentum. Such cooperation has benefited businesses and people from both countries and has never posed any threat to Belgium. If the attempt of a handful of people to politicize economic and trade cooperation and suppress the legitimate development rights and interests of Chinese companies is left unattended, it will create negative impacts on the overall atmosphere for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, which will eventually harm Belgium’s own interests. It is hoped that the relevant people in Belgium can abandon ideological biases, have an objective and just view of China-Belgium practical cooperation, and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory investment and operation environment for Chinese companies in Belgium.