美國狙擊華為太子女 中國忍讓克制臨考驗

<轉載自2018年12月7日 明報 社評>

中國民企華為創辦人任正非的長女、副董事長孟晚舟在加拿大被捕，美方尋求引渡，中方向美加嚴正交涉，要求立即放人。中美高科技角力正酣，有美國參議員表示，孟晚舟被捕與違反美國制裁伊朗禁令有關，然而這類爭端甚少鬧到要拘捕引渡，孟晚舟被捕事非尋常，標誌華府出手更加狠辣，性質比早前制裁中興更為嚴重。泱泱大國不耍流氓。中美貿易戰開打半年，中方對在華美企並無太多刁難，今次美國打擊華為手法令人側目，令中美貿易談判蒙上陰霾，兩國緊張關係升級，中方會否繼續克制忍讓，需要密切留意。

泱泱大國不耍流氓 美方狠招令人側目

華為是全球最大電訊網絡設備製造商之一，5G通訊技術發展領先全球。美國指控中國政府利用華為技術，從事間諜活動，質疑華為對美國國家安全構成威脅。華府除了禁止華為產品進入美國市場，還不斷游說施壓，要盟友參與封殺華為。美國與英澳紐加4國的「五眼」情報聯盟監控全球，澳紐已以國家安全為由封殺，不允許華為競投5G網絡建設，英加兩國亦面臨很大壓力。最近華府派團赴歐，要求英德等國避免採用華為設備。這次孟晚舟在加國被捕，反映美國打擊華為行動升級，突顯美國盟友「歸邊」壓力愈來愈大，要在中美之間左右逢源並不容易。

加拿大政府表示，孟晚舟於上周六被捕，現應美方要求將她扣留。中方要求美加兩國澄清拘押理由，立即釋放孟晚舟。華為亦發表聲明，強調公司有遵守業務所在國的法律。加拿大司法部表示，由於孟晚舟申請禁制令獲法庭批准，所以不能公開披露案件細節。然而值得留意的是，就連華為也不清楚孟晚舟面對什麼指控，「有關控罪情况，公司獲告知的資料極少」。孟晚舟事件猶如黑箱，難免惹來種種揣測。

近年美國司法部一直調查華為有否違反美方制裁朝鮮和伊朗等國的禁令，有美國參議員表示，孟晚舟被捕與美國制裁伊朗有關。由於華府封殺，華為在美國業務很少，然而如果美方認為華為違反制裁令，大可選擇像早前對付中興通訊一樣，由商務部調查並頒布懲罰措施，勒令繳交巨額罰款。今次美方選擇直接以司法調查方式，鎖定華為創辦人女兒，針對個人而非公司，威嚇味道濃厚，打擊威力巨大，背後顯然經過精心計算，難以想像跟當前美國打擊中國高科技發展策略完全無關。

假借各種名目扣留別國國民，是流氓國家慣用的人質勒索伎倆，以往白宮便曾指摘朝鮮把拘留美國公民當作與華盛頓談判的籌碼。美國是泱泱大國，如果也採用流氓國家的手段，可謂極大諷刺。孟晚舟被捕，適逢中美即將舉行貿易談判，事件勢將進一步削弱當前中美之間僅有的互信。今年5月中美貿易談判一度達成協議，為紓解貿易戰危機帶來曙光，未料華府出爾反爾，中方對特朗普政府的誠信，已有懷疑；這次孟晚舟出事之日，正是G20「習特會」舉行之時。美方要加拿大政府協助，趁孟晚舟在溫哥華轉機期間將她拘捕，事前定必有詳細準備，中方不會相信「習特會」當天特朗普及其談判團隊完全無人知情，事件將嚴重打擊「習特會」達成的共識，令北京再一次懷疑美方誠意。中美未來3個月的貿易談判，恐將暗湧處處。

打壓中國科技發展 美謀與華經濟脫鈎

美國對華發動貿易戰，最大目標是要中國開放市場，同時迫使中國改變發展模式，阻止中國高科技趕超美國。過去特朗普常稱，美國經濟強勁股市暢旺，反映美國在貿易戰「節節勝利」，不過隨着減稅措施效力減退，近期美股顯著下挫，債息「倒掛」（即短期美債債息高於長債債息）等現象，令人關注美國經濟未來兩年會否吹起逆風，出現衰退危機。特朗普這場貿易戰，未必長期打下去，不過孟晚舟事件反映，即使美國不打貿易戰，仍有其他手段，阻撓中國高科技發展之路。

貿易戰開打以來，北京一邊堅守核心利益，一邊以忍讓態度應對，反制美國措施克制，沒有留難在華美企，遑論製造事端刁難，然而美方步步進逼，率先向中國企業出手，北京是否仍然會忍讓克制，需密切留意。中美新冷戰陰霾籠罩，美國謀求與中國「經濟脫鈎」（economic disengagement）、減少對華依賴，漸成美國政界共識，貿易疏遠僅屬其一。過去一年，美國加強限制與中國的科技交流，除了限制中國留學生，連參與中國「千人計劃」的居美學者，也成為美方緊盯對象，多名「千人計劃」學者被指涉嫌「盜竊美國商業技術機密」，遭美方拘捕。美籍華裔科學家、史丹福大學教授張首晟近期成為美方調查對象，他在孟晚舟被捕同一天突然死亡，傳媒報道他是自殺，然而事件惹來不少華人關注。中美惡鬥愈益凶險，隨時影響香港，商界、學者以至官員都要多加留意局勢，以免香港受到牽連。

US takes aim at daughter of Huawei's founder

HUAWEI Technologies' deputy chairwoman Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, the eldest daughter of the Chinese private enterprise's founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Canada and sought for extradition by the US. The Chinese government has made stern representations with the US and Canada and demanded her immediate release. This has happened in the middle of the high technology spat between the US and China. A US senator has suggested that her arrest was related to violations of the US trade embargo on Iran but in the past the US seldom resorted to arrest and extradition over this kind of dispute. The unusual detention of Meng shows that Washington is making more ferocious moves than before. The matter is more serious in nature than its past sanctions on ZTE. A great nation is not supposed to resort to hooliganism. During the half year since the Sino-US trade war kicked off, Beijing has not put US companies in China in much trouble. By comparison, the bashing of Huawei by Washington has raised many eyebrows. This is casting more doubts over Sino-US trade negotiations and further escalating the tension between the two countries. Whether China will continue to exercise restraint and forbearance is something we have to closely follow.

As one of the world's biggest manufacturers of telecommunication network equipment, Huawei is the global leader in developing 5G mobile telecom technology. Washington has accused China of using the technologies developed by Huawei for espionage and criticised Huawei for posing threats to the national security of the US. Aside from banning Huawei products from entering the US market, Washington has also been lobbying and exerting pressure on its allies to ditch Huawei. The "Five Eyes" comprising the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada is an intelligence alliance engaged in global surveillance. Of these five countries, Australia and New Zealand have, citing national security reasons, already banned Huawei from bidding on their 5G infrastructure projects. The UK and Canada are also under huge pressure from the US. Not long ago, a Washington delegation to Europe demanded countries like the UK and Germany should not use Huawei's gear.

The Canadian government said Meng was arrested and detained at the request of the US. China demanded the two countries clarify the reasons for her detention and release her immediately. Huawei also issued a statement emphasising that the company complies with all the laws and regulations where it operates. The Canadian Justice Department said that due to the publication ban sought by Meng and approved by the court, no further details can be provided about the case. But it is noteworthy that even Huawei is not clear about the charges that Meng is facing. "The company has been provided very little information regarding the charges." It is as if outsiders are kept in the dark. That inevitably has invited speculations of all sorts.

The US Justice Department has been investigating in recent years whether Huawei has violated the embargoes placed by Washington on countries including North Korea and Iran. A US senator said that Meng's arrest was related to US sanctions on Iran. Huawei has few businesses in the US because of Washington's ban. If the US asserts that Huawei has violated any sanctions, it can well choose to treat the dispute in a way similar to its previous handling of ZTE's case — launching an investigation by the Commerce Department and announcing punitive action like slapping hefty fines on the company. However, this time the US has opted directly for a judicial investigation targeting the daughter of Huawei's founder. The target was not the company, but a person. The move smacked strongly of intimidation. The intensity of the bashing shows that the incident has apparently been carefully calculated and planned. It beggars belief that it has nothing to do with the current US strategy of crushing the development of Chinese high technology.

Concocting excuses to detain foreign nationals is a hostage-taking and extortion trick usually practised by "rogue states". The White House has once accused North Korea of detaining a US national and making him a bargaining chip in its talks with Washington. The US being a great nation, if it has resorted to such hooliganism itself, one may say that is a great irony indeed.

美國狙擊華為太子女 中國忍讓克制臨考驗

中國民企華為創辦人任正非的長女、副董事長孟晚舟在加拿大被捕，美方尋求引渡，中方向美加嚴正交涉，要求立即放人。中美高科技角力正酣，有美國參議員表示，孟晚舟被捕與違反美國制裁伊朗禁令有關，然而這類爭端甚少鬧到要拘捕引渡，孟晚舟被捕事非尋常，標誌華府出手更加狠辣，性質比早前制裁中興更為嚴重。泱泱大國不耍流氓。中美貿易戰開打半年，中方對在華美企並無太多刁難，今次美國打擊華為手法令人側目，令中美貿易談判蒙上陰霾，兩國緊張關係升級，中方會否繼續克制忍讓，需要密切留意。

華為是全球最大電訊網絡設備製造商之一，5G通訊技術發展領先全球。美國指控中國政府利用華為技術，從事間諜活動，質疑華為對美國國家安全構成威脅。華府除了禁止華為產品進入美國市場，還不斷游說施壓，要盟友參與封殺華為。美國與英澳紐加4國的「五眼」情報聯盟監控全球，澳紐已以國家安全為由封殺，不允許華為競投5G網絡建設，英加兩國亦面臨很大壓力。最近華府派團赴歐，要求英德等國避免採用華為設備。

加拿大政府表示，孟晚舟於上周六被捕，現應美方要求將她扣留。中方要求美加兩國澄清拘押理由，立即釋放孟晚舟。華為亦發表聲明，強調公司有遵守業務所在國的法律。加拿大司法部表示，由於孟晚舟申請禁制令獲法庭批准，所以不能公開披露案件細節。然而值得留意的是，就連華為也不清楚孟晚舟面對什麼指控，「有關控罪情况，公司獲告知的資料極少」。孟晚舟事件猶如黑箱，難免惹來種種揣測。

近年美國司法部一直調查華為有否違反美方制裁朝鮮和伊朗等國的禁令，有美國參議員表示，孟晚舟被捕與美國制裁伊朗有關。由於華府封殺，華為在美國業務很少，然而如果美方認為華為違反制裁令，大可選擇像早前對付中興通訊一樣，由商務部調查並頒布懲罰措施，勒令繳交巨額罰款。今次美方選擇直接以司法調查方式，鎖定華為創辦人女兒，針對個人而非公司，威嚇味道濃厚，打擊威力巨大，背後顯然經過精心計算，難以想像跟當前美國打擊中國高科技發展策略完全無關。

假借各種名目扣留別國國民，是流氓國家慣用的人質勒索伎倆，以往白宮便曾指摘朝鮮把拘留美國公民當作與華盛頓談判的籌碼。美國是泱泱大國，如果也採用流氓國家的手段，可謂極大諷刺。