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Oct 27 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
#Critical_Infrastructure: After serious discrepancies, the German government (not just Scholz) gave the green light for less than 30% of the port of Hamburg to pass into the hands of the Chinese company Cosco. The problem is strategic and double:⤵️
1) EU member states do not share information with each other about the effects of Chinese investments in strategic infrastructure. Furthermore, there is already now public evidence that China is intimidating the Belgian government member into retracting critical comments about⤵️
Chinese ships being converted into military ships; and 2) The EU is rather toothless and has no enforcing competences regarding the effective protection of critical infrastructure owned by member states and sold to risky investors controlled by autocratic regimes.⤵️
In both cases, the costs of short-sighted political decisions by EU national leaders will gradually reveal themselves. It is important to clarify that the key critical infrastructure by all means are transportation and energy assets. Like the energy energy sector that can⤵️
cause immediate effects if deliberately sabotaged (the case of gas weaponization by Russia), maritime channels are essential for the supply of any goods to/from Europe.⤵️
Let's do a simple exercise of imagination (a kind of scenario construction) that China and Russia decide at some point in the near future to help each other, one manipulates the energy market and the other blocks the maritime arteries of Europe (the scenario of ⤵️
taking the control over Taiwan)
China already controls Belgium's port in Bruges (Zebrugge container terminal) through a concession until 2055 (last time extended for 15 years in January 2022) and Greece's largest port Piraeus (67% share) from 2020.⤵️
Critical infrastructure is an indispensable part of national security and cannot be treated just as a tradable commercial good. By doing this, decision makers demonstrate that they are either neglecting risk management procedures or lacking a safety culture altogether.
This recent reiteration of China's staunch support for Russia only confirms the eventuality of scenarios in which the 2 powers will coordinate their FP goals, including by weaponizing control over int critical infrastructure (China) & strategic commodities (Russia). 👇
More details about the German approach towards the protection of critical infrastructure👇

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More from @DionisCenusa

Dionis Cenusa Profile picture
Oct 30
#Russia_Sanctions: By increasing imports of household appliences from Kazakhstan and Armenia, Russia is allegedly circumventing Western sanctions. The free movement of goods within the Eurasian Union guarantees Russia a continuous supply of Western-made refrigerators, washing⤵️
machines and electric breast pumps: 1) Kazakhstan imported 3 times more refrigerators from the EU than in 2021. The export of EU-made electric breast pumps to Kazakhstan soared by around 600% and to Armenia by 3 times (despite falling birthrates of 8.4% and 4.3% respectively);⤵️ Image
2) On the other hand, the re-export of washing machines from Kazakhstan to Russia this year is worth $7.5 million. The volume of shipped refrigerators was 10 times higher; 3) Russia is reported to be using semiconductors extracted from civilian manufacturing to supply the⤵️
Read 8 tweets
Dionis Cenusa Profile picture
Oct 29
#Russia: The suspension of Russia’s participation in the "grain business" was in the air. Putin himself hinted that Russia agreed to a “package deal” involving relaxation of sanctions on Russian fertilizers and agri-food products (which were never subject to Western sanctions).⤵️
Russia decided to leave the “grains deal” now for several reasons: 1) The Ukrainian counteroffensive towards Kherson continues and Russia needs to generate another new-old crisis to overshadow it. From a pure tactical perspective, Russia wants to regain some int relevance;⤵️
2) I have pointed out earlier that by leaving the “grain deal”, Russia wants to put pressure on the UN not to launch any investigation into Iranian kamikadze drones or to exclude Russia from the UN Security Council. Russia exploits the natural prioritization of ensuring global⤵️
Read 9 tweets
Dionis Cenusa Profile picture
Oct 29
#Armenia_Russia: PM Pashinyan continues with his pragmatic foreign policy. He has just announced the intention to approve the extension of the mandate of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh. This is in his interests and he also throws the "hot potato" at Azerbaijan,⤵️
which should also agree to have the Russian peacekeepers in its disputed territory with Armenia. Pashinyan reiterated that Russia remains the security guarantor of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. This can only mean that Armenia opts for a compartimentalized approach towards⤵️
Russia. Where Russia is an ineffective protection of the Armenian borders against the Azeri pushes and attacks, Armenia appeals to the EU (which is preparing a civilian monitoring mission in which the staff of the EU mission in Georgia will participate). On the other hand,⤵️
Read 7 tweets
Dionis Cenusa Profile picture
Oct 28
#Critical_Infrastructure: The German National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure Protection dates back to 2009. It refers to two categories of infrastructure that are considered to be protected by the state: basic infrastructure and socio-economic services infrastructure.⤵️ Image
Currently, geopolitical circumstances put the basic infrastructure - power/gas supply - in the spotlight. According to the Strategy that governs the actions of the German authorities in matters of critical infrastructure, two types of actions that endanger⤵️
German critical infrastructures can be identified: 1) “negligence”: the authorities underestimate the risks arising from the purchase of critical assets (ports, etc.) by non-democratic actors (Chinese state-owned companies);⤵️ Image
Read 5 tweets
Dionis Cenusa Profile picture
Oct 28
#Russia_Sanctions: Maintenance and technical servicing of Airbus aircraft used by Russian civil aviation cannot be guaranteed at an adequate level. Airbus management has raised concerns about the safety of the aircraft used in Russia. Due to the sanctions, Airbus is not ⤵️
able to monitor and offer a service to ensure the safe use of the aircrafts of its production. In May-June, Russian airlines were disassembling the aircraft to obtain the necessary components for the operational planes.⤵️
The lack of verification and proper technical upgrading increases the risks of catastrophes. Since most flights with Russian aircraft take place within Russia, the risks are largely limited to the Russian territory and population.
Read 4 tweets
Dionis Cenusa Profile picture
Oct 28
#Moldova: The energy crisis is reaching such proportions that the govt struggles to keep the situation under control (so far so good). Under these circumstances, even the fugitive oligarch Plahotniuc began planning his return to Moldovan politics. Despite being recently⤵️
sanctioned by the US, the kleptocrats are rising up to push the govt into collapse. Russian manipulations with gas exports (which have been limited by 40%) and the electrical dependence of the breakaway region have a destructive impact on the social-economic situation.⤵️
It seems more like Russia is exploiting govt weaknesses to create a fertile ground for all anti-government forces to seize their opportunity, especially given that Russia is aware that the Russia-leaning parties and leaders are more popular that the leadership of the⤵️
Read 15 tweets

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