Norway’s security authorities have warned about Chinese companies like Cosco, as the risk of foreign intelligence increases with them.
Armi Auvinen,
Annu Passoja,
Riikka Rautiainen
The ships of the Chinese shipping company Cosco, which uses Kemi’s pulp, can be a security threat. The security police have been interested in the ships and Norway is also warning its own port authorities about the same Chinese shipping company.
Cosco Shipping’s gigantic pulp vessels have been handling the sea transportation of Kemi’s new pulp mill since the end of last year. In the Seamen’s Union is puzzled how is it possible that the transportation of Finland’s largest pulp mill is handled by the Chinese, even though there has been a desire to get rid of too much dependence on China, at least in the speeches.
CEO of the port of Kemi Markku Rautio confirms that he has spoken to the protection police about the Chinese shipping company. Cosco ships are monitored more strongly than other ships coming to Kemi’s Ajos port.
– I have instructed the port supervisors that the movement of the ship’s personnel must be controlled.
The Chinese shipping company is under special surveillance in Kemi
According to Rautio, the shipping company’s ships have been under special surveillance throughout their operations. Normally, movement in the port is monitored with surveillance cameras and roving guards, but in the case of Cosco, preparedness has been raised a notch. More precisely, Rautio does not open this.
The decision on closer supervision has been made by Rautio’s decision and he has reported the matter to Supo. He emphasizes that cooperation with Supo is normally carried out, for example, with security clearances of the port’s personnel. According to him, the so-called western alliance ships do not have the same level of control as a chinese ship.
The strategic location of the port of Kemi in terms of the security of the whole of Northern Finland has also come to the fore with NATO membership. Kemi’s Veitsiluoto factory area is one of the military areas designated by the Government and opened for use by the United States.
The Norwegian security authorities warn about the company
Norway’s security authorities have warned against giving a foothold to Chinese companies like Cosco, because with them the risk to the intelligence activities of foreign countries also increases. Cosco is owned by the Chinese state. NRK has previously reported on meetings between Cosco and Kirkkoniemi port management At Cosco’s Helsinki office in Finland. The Chinese company has its own subsidiary in Finland, which was already established in 1995.
Cosco, one of the world’s largest shipping lines, would like to increase its own cooperation with the Norwegian port of Kirkkoniemi in the north. According to the statement of the Norwegian Minister of Justice and Security the government will not allow a stronger presence of Chinese companies in Kirkkoniemi if national security has not been ensured first. According to NRK it is likely that restrictions will also be made in other Norwegian ports.
According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK The country’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Fisheries has sent a concerned letter to the Kirkkoniemi port authorities. The letter is related to the safety law valid in Norway, to which all ports in Norway belong. The purpose of the law is, among other things, to protect Norway’s security interests.
In the ministry’s pleading, it is raised that certain parts of the port may be particularly significant for national security and may therefore need additional protection in accordance with the Security Act. According to the ministry, it is also under consideration whether other operators related to the port should be subject to the safety law.
Cosco’s expansion and the potential security threats it brings with it has been studied in different parts of the world. For example, Piraeus, the largest port in Greece is completely owned by a Chinese shipping company.
Chinese law also obliges citizens to be sources of information
Inquiry University teacher teaching at the University of Jyväskylä, colonel evp. Jyrki Isokangas makes a difference between whether it is a Chinese ship visiting the port or whether a Chinese shipping company wants to rent or build real estate in a Nordic port, for example.
– Of course, a permanent presence gives better opportunities for that intelligence activity.
This does not rule out the fact that a ship visiting the port could also be a risk in some situations. Isokangas cannot assess how interested China is in Finland in terms of intelligence.
– I think that China’s intelligence is a little bit interesting to everyone. It also has wide opportunities to collect information, because their legislation is such that every Chinese and Chinese company is obliged to produce information for Chinese intelligence if necessary.
At the same time, Isokangas reminds us that every Chinese ship is of course not a reconnaissance ship.
As for China’s interest in Kirkkoniemi on Russia’s side, Isokangas believes it is related to the Arctic region rather than Russia.
– China and Russia are fundamentally friendly countries, but when talking about the Arctic region, interests can cross. I could see that the interest is related to China’s effort to gain space and influence in the Arctic region.
Norwegian and the Swedish security authorities have stated in their analyzes that both China and Russia are increasing intelligence activities in the northern regions.
According to the Norwegian police security service PST, civilian ships can have a dual role in the northern sea areas, i.e. they can simultaneously collect information about the military capabilities of NATO countries and the coastal infrastructure.