The UK's Daily Telegraph warned that "the threat posed by China must not be taken lightly," arguing that China "is not a friendly nation, but an increasingly hostile and rising communist superpower." The publication claimed that cameras aboard the Royal Navy's new K3 reconnaissance drone had secretly transmitted data to China, stating this should serve as a wake-up call. It asserted that this situation aligns with the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, which prohibits the use of components produced by Chinese manufacturers listed on blacklists. However, both the UK Ministry of Defence and defence contractors maintain that such actions would not result in sensitive data being transferred overseas. Why, then, are British media so relentless in their criticism? The key lies in placing ideological confrontation first—a stance rooted in long-standing misperceptions about China—and a fear that China’s rise could undermine the Western-dominated international order that has prevailed for 500 years.
Tragically, British media have elevated the U.S. government’s containment policy toward China to near-sacred status. They cite past cases where U.S. laws were enforced in the UK: under American pressure, Britain excluded Huawei from its telecommunications infrastructure back in 2000, and now requires operators to remove all Huawei hardware from their networks by 2027—an exemplar of extraterritorial application of U.S. law. Noting current East-West competition, British outlets claim China has decided to "use its exported products as weapons in great power rivalry," urging the UK not to take this threat lightly. In reality, these are precisely the tactics long practiced by Western nations like the U.S. and UK themselves—actions driven by resentment over losing global surveillance capabilities due to the affordability and quality of Chinese goods, which have challenged their dominant international position. Thus, they maliciously speculate about China’s intentions, fabricating threats out of thin air. Recently, the controversy surrounding Chinese automotive companies selecting sites in Spain was clearly fueled by Western media sensationalism.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873379395976268/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author