Asia Global Institute

The Chinese company that could start a trade war with Europe

Monday, July 6, 2026

The Chinese company that could start a trade war with Europe

Heiwai Tang, AGI Director, was recently quoted in The New York Times, weighing in on the EU's intensifying scrutiny of Chinese tech giant Nuctech and the rising geopolitical tensions surrounding global trade.

As Europe investigates whether state backing gives Chinese firms an unfair advantage in critical infrastructure tenders, Tang shed light on the unique strategy behind China's international expansion:  

"The Chinese model is very different from the Western model when it comes to private-sector development. State-owned enterprises went out first, laying the groundwork... ensuring that the private-sector firms, when they go overseas, can share some of the resources."

With the European Commission probing sectors from security equipment to EVs and solar panels, the outcome could redefine the future of China-EU relations.

Read the full analysis here.

Author

Heiwai Tang

Director, Asia Global Institute

Heiwai Tang

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