Russian officials have raised concerns about excessive reliance on Chinese technologies after losing access to sophisticated components due to Western sanctions, Bloomberg reportedWednesday, citing European officials familiar with the document.
Chips, network devices and electronics were assessed to be areas of particular vulnerability to Chinese dependence, according to the document that Bloomberg said was authored in the summer of 2022.
The Russian Communications Ministry memo reportedly highlighted concerns that reliance on Huawei communication network devices “poses a danger” to Russia’s information security and lessens opportunities for Russian providers to manufacture domestic alternatives.
“The assessment even suggests considering restrictions on technologies produced by Huawei and other Chinese companies in order to avoid a scenario of total dependence,” Bloomberg reported.
The Ukraine war and international sanctions on Moscow have not only sent relations between Russia and the West to an all-time low, but cut Russia off from many Western goods. Instead, Moscow has been increasingly looking to Asian countries.
Senior Communications Ministry officials also proposed import quotas, shifting production to Russia and using Russian sub-contractors among other countermeasures.
The Communications Ministry memo was apparently shared among members of the Russian General Staff and Russia’s Security Council, which is lead by President Vladimir Putin.