China is firmly against some people's moves to deliberately overstretch the concept of national security to wear down Chinese enterprises, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks during a routine press briefing in Beijing, responding to report that the British government told its departments to stop installing Chinese-linked surveillance cameras at sensitive buildings, citing security risks.
"The Chinese government always encourages Chinese companies to carry out foreign trade and investment cooperation in line with local laws as well as market principles and international rules," Mao said.
The Chinese government would firmly defend Chinese businesses' legitimate and lawful rights and interests, she said, adding that“we are keeping a close eye on how things develop.”