9 May 2021
Chinese spies could be able to access “sensitive” information in Belgium through investments made into the Liège Airport by the Jack Ma-owned e-commerce giant Alibaba, the country’s justice minister admitted this week.
Appearing before a hearing of the House Justice Committee, Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said that “Chinese intelligence service agents could have access to sensitive and secure areas of the airport”.
“Alibaba will also have to obey the Chinese security apparatus in the event that the latter wishes to have access to potentially sensitive commercial and personal data held by Alibaba in the context of its activities in Liège,” the minister added in comments reported on Friday by the local news outlet 7sur7.