China denies ‘ridiculous’ spying allegations by Lithuania

The company has raised suspicions in the West for its close ties to Beijing and generated fears it may be a tool of China’s international espionage capabilities.

“It is absurd and ridiculous for the Lithuanian intelligence and security services to rely on conjecture and imagination to make unfounded distortions,” the Chinese embassy in Vilnius said in a statement on Friday.

It said it was “shocked and surprised” by the “totally unacceptable” statements made by Lithuanian intelligence, insisting that “China does not pose any security threat to Lithuania”.

Earlier in the week, two Lithuanian intelligence agencies condemned China for an “increasingly aggressive” spy campaign, which they said included “attempts to recruit Lithuanian citizens”.

Darius Jauniskis, head of Lithuania’s State Security Department, said his agency was analysing the potential “threat” posed by Huawei, whose technology is being used to build the EU and Nato state’s new 5G telecommunications infrastructure.