Dutch intel agency calls China "biggest threat to economic security"

Amsterdam [Netherlands], April 19 : Netherlands intelligence agency and Service warned about the increasing internal and external threats against the rule of law and also called China "the biggest threat to the Netherlands' economic security," Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking at the press conference on the report, Erik Akerboom, Monday, director-general of the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) said that China is the biggest economic threat to their country.

He further stated that China is targeting new technologies in the Netherlands and is constantly trying to steal these technologies.

In the AIVD 2022 report, the officials said that the threats to the country have increased due to the war in Ukraine, spying activity and cyberattacks, according to Anadolu Agency.

Earlier, the Dutch government said that they have imposed restrictions on the export of chip manufacturing equipment and raw materials used in chip making to China.

The report also said that radical ideologies, terrorist threats, cyber-attacks, sabotage and orgzed crime undermine the rule of law in the country.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, reacting to the Netherlands intelligence claim, called Dutch "irresponsible for relevant Dutch authorities to frame such mutually beneficial cooperation as an issue about security."

While responding to a media query during the press conference on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Wang Webin said, "This could sour the atmosphere for bilateral cooperation and does not serve the interest of the Netherlands," as per the statement released by Chinese Foreign Ministry.

"We hope the Netherlands will abandon the Cold War mentality, stop creating hypothetical pretexts to smear Chinese compes, academic institutions and their personnel, and be open-minded, rational and objective about having normal economic and academic cooperation with China," he added.