Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Cooperation with China on wind turbines could threaten Germany's social cohesion - this MKsportsis one of the absurd arguments of a think tank report commissioned by Germany's Federal Ministry of Defence. According to the US media outlet Politico, a report by the German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies claims that "Germany's political system and social cohesion are at stake unless it restricts Chinese wind turbines in the country." The report suggests that China could "harvest sensitive data" through wind turbines, "remotely shut down turbines," or even use them as "a means of political pressure" or "an instrument of economic warfare."
 
According to the report's logic, with just a spin of a China-made wind turbine, some Germans' insecurities blow all over the place. Since when did Western political systems and social cohesion become so fragile that even wind turbines are considered a threat?

This unwarranted fear of China-made wind turbines reflects the strategic anxiety of certain political elites in the face of the global energy transition, inevitably bringing to mind Don Quixote tilting at windmills.

Don Quixote saw windmills as giants and charged at them with his lance, becoming one of literature's greatest jokes. Today, some Europeans view China's wind turbines as threats, as if these clean energy devices are "modern giants" that they have to confront and "fight" against.

"There is no technical possibility of harvesting sensitive data or remotely shutting down turbines, as the report claims. Instead, this may become an excuse for some politicians," Dong Yifan, a guest researcher at the School of Politics and Public Administration, Xinjiang University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Wind power projects involve long-term planning, strict approval processes, and multi-party oversight - how could they be remotely controlled so easily? Elevating a technical issue with turbines to the political and social level is an over-interpretation. The rhetoric surrounding this hypothetical threat feels more like a deliberate exaggeration of the "China threat" designed to stoke fear.

Some netizens have already seen through this as outdated geopolitical thinking. One comment read: "So Germany's in trouble because of some turbines now? Seems like they're finding someone to blame for their own politics."

Some individuals with prejudices against China habitually politicize economic issues, attempting to hinder global cooperation with Chinese technology through a securitization strategy. However, this approach exposes their lack of confidence in their own energy transition and technological competitiveness. Europe's real vulnerability lies in its strategic shortsightedness.

Europe has long prided itself on being a global leader in climate action. However, if it excludes Chinese green technology under the guise of "national security," its energy transition will inevitably be impacted. After all, China's technological and cost advantages in the new energy sector are crucial for Europe to meet its emission reduction targets. Smearing and suppressing new energy technologies is not only inappropriate but also contrary to the global trend of energy transition.

Instead of hyping up the "security threat," strengthening China-Europe cooperation in the new energy sector is a more pragmatic choice. Germany and Europe need to recognize that viewing Chinese wind turbines as a "threat" will not solve any problems but will instead deepen their own energy predicament.

It is undeniable that infrastructure security is critical for any country. However, risk assessments must be objective, not based on speculation or bias. China's wind turbine technology and production capacity can provide Europe with more options. Meanwhile, Europe's mature management experience and technical standards can offer safety guarantees for China-Europe cooperation projects. This mutually beneficial model is clearly more reliable than fabricating a "wind turbine threat" out of thin air.

The fantasies of Don Quixote stem from the romance of chivalric novels, while the "wind turbine phobia" of certain Europeans seems to originate from anxiety over competition and a misunderstanding of Chinese development. They should lay down their "lances" and see reality clearly: Wind turbines are not "giants," but partners in propelling a green future. Rather than battling windmills, it is better to learn to dance with the wind.