COSCO denies U.S. allegations of maritime spying

COSCO SHIPPING, the Chinese state-owned shipping giant, has rejected allegations that its container ships are being used as part of a global spy network for Beijing. The company described the claims as ‘totally unfounded’ and false.

The allegations, reported by Reuters and citing anonymous U.S. officials, suggest that COSCO maintains a decades-long intelligence-collection partnership with the Chinese government. Officials claim the company uses advanced equipment aboard its vessels to monitor military communications, encryption developments, and signals from aircraft and ships across Europe, North America, and Asia.

In response, COSCO stated that its global operations adhere to market-oriented and compliant practices. The company emphasized that all communication, navigation, and safety equipment installed on its vessels is used strictly for legitimate commercial purposes, such as emergency response and ship-to-shore communications, and is not used for intercepting military intelligence.

The Chinese Embassy in the United States has also stated that Beijing does not require any company or individual to violate local laws to collect or provide intelligence abroad.