COSCO rejects US claims of spy equipment on its ships
COSCO denies US allegations that its vessels carried concealed intelligence-gathering equipment for Beijing.
China's state-owned shipping conglomerate, COSCO, has strongly denied allegations that it used concealed equipment on its vessels to gather intelligence for the Chinese government. The company described the claims as "totally unfounded" and false.
The denial follows a report citing two senior officials from the Trump administration, who spoke on condition of anonymity. They alleged that COSCO has maintained a decades-long intelligence-collection partnership with Beijing, enabling China to intercept communication signals from ships and aircraft across Europe, North America, and Asia.
In a formal statement, COSCO asserted its commitment to lawful and market-oriented operations worldwide. The company stated that all communication, navigation, and safety equipment installed on its vessels serves exclusively legitimate commercial purposes, such as navigation safety, ship-to-shore communication, and emergency response. It further clarified that no onboard equipment has been used to intercept military communications or conduct intelligence activities.
The allegations surface ahead of a planned visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington on September 24 for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. While Beijing has not formally confirmed the trip, the summit is expected to address sensitive security and trade matters.
Previously, China's embassy in Washington has stated that Beijing would never instruct any company or individual to collect data or intelligence abroad in violation of local laws.