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George Glass, the US ambassador in Lisbon, in an interview with Expresso published today, admitted the consequences in terms of security and defense for Portugal if the country chooses to work with China.
According to the diplomat, the consequences will be technical, such as NATO activity or the exchange of classified information, and not political, at least for now.
“There are countries that are working in a true alliance as allies. If we cannot communicate at that level, there will also be a reflection on the political atmosphere and the evolution of the political relationship. For now, it is a question of National Defense and not of politics, ”Glass said.
The ambassador admits that Portugal is a victim of the trade conflict between the United States and China since it is part of the “battlefield” in Europe, where one of the conflict fronts is the new 5G technology, in which Portugal plans to work with the Chinese Huawei. although not in fundamental aspects of the network, but only in the distribution of the radio signal.
Glass is adamant in saying that the United States preferred Portugal not to have any Huawei equipment on the 5G network.
“If we don’t have reliable partners in the Portuguese telecommunications network, it will change the way we interact with Portugal in terms of security and defense. We have delivered this message loud and clear: the way we work with NATO or how we exchange classified information will suffer. If we have confidence in telecommunications, we can continue to interact as in the past. If we don’t have it, we will have to change the way we communicate with Portugal ”, said the ambassador.
There are other Chinese companies with equity positions in Portuguese companies, such as China Three Gorges in EDP and ACPC that recently entered the capital of Mota-Engil, which “sold 30% of the company for 30 silver coins”, making it difficult the relationship. between Portugal and the US, and in relation to Mota-Engil the US ambassador admits the possibility of sanctions.
However, he provided further clarification on these issues to North American Undersecretary of the Economy, Keith Krach, who will be in Lisbon next week.
Regarding the importance of the “incredibly strategic” port of Sines for the distribution of US liquefied natural gas, Glass said he hopes that the construction and management of the new terminal “will not go into the hands of the Chinese.” If so, it compromises the distribution, he admitted.
“I think you have to give in. If it were up to the Chinese, it would affect our vision of what Sines can become. We have seen in the past that if the operators are Chinese, they have the ability to deny access to US ships. This cannot happen. Especially if we think of Portugal as the ‘hub’ of gas and the center of European energy security ”, he declared.
George Glass also admitted that the United States has been working with Portugal to “guide” foreign investment in the country and reduce the weight of Chinese investment.
“I think they are tougher on China now. When I arrived in Portugal, the Chinese state entities had 28% of EDP and now they have 21%. It is going in the right direction. But it has to be less, “he added.
