A Xiaomi outlet in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province, on Friday Photo: IC

The Belgium government should immediately stop smearing the smartphones from Chinese enterprises, which would be detrimental to the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Belgium, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Belgium said on Tuesday, after Belgium claimed that Xiaomi and other cell phones of Chinese companies pose "potential spy threat".

The spokesperson said the Chinese government has been requiring its companies abroad to abide by international rules and local laws and China had made its commitment to global data security in its initiative released in 2020.

Smartphones produced by Xiaomi, Oppo and OnePlus are very popular among Belgian consumers, but according to State Security Spokesperson Ingrid Van Daele, the intelligence services wish to draw consumers' attention to the potential threat of espionage when they are used, even if no concrete cases have been identified, according to Belgian media The Brussels Times reported on Saturday.

The Chinese spokesperson said such an irresponsible claim without any conclusive evidence directly has damaged the image and interests of Chinese enterprises. Individuals with ulterior motives often politicize science and technology and trade issues, engage in double standards for products of different countries, smear and suppress enterprises of other countries and this kind of self-serving behavior should be changed, he said.

The Chinese Embassy in Belgium also called on all countries to resist country-specific discrimination in science and technology and trade, just as they resist racial discrimination, uphold fair competition and market principles, adhere to international trade and economic rules, and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises of all countries.

Twitter: Belgium should  immediately stop smearing smartphones from Chinese enterprises for "potential spy threat", the Chinese Embassy in Belgium said on Tuesday, after Belgian media reported that Xiaomi and other cell phones of Chinese companies pose "potential spy threat".