In a recent interview, the President of the Lebanese Chinese Chamber of Commerce highlighted the impact of a recent explosion involving communication devices in Lebanon. He stated that this incident has prompted Lebanon, along with several other countries, to shift their tech procurement from Western sources to China, particularly increasing imports of electronic products like mobile phones.
According to a report by CGTN, the explosion of communication devices used by the militant group Hezbollah on September 17 resulted in at least 12 fatalities and nearly 3,000 injuries across Lebanon. A subsequent episode involving walkie-talkies on September 18 killed at least three more people and injured hundreds. This series of collective explosions is unprecedented. While many international media outlets speculate that Israel may have orchestrated this attack, there has been no confirmation or denial from Israeli officials.
The Lebanese Minister of Health has expressed concern around the safety of Western technologies, citing the incident as a catalyst for shifting procurement strategies. The President noted that Turkey has already paused imports of American technology in favor of developing its own products. As a result, Lebanon and other nations are expected to reduce Western imports and look towards China for electronic goods.
Following the bombings, Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization announced a ban effective from December 12 on the use of walkie-talkies and other communication devices for all flights, likely in response to the emerging threat.
Interestingly, the explosive walkie-talkies implicated in the attack were linked to a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo. U.S. officials disclosed that Hezbollah had ordered the devices from them, with the majority being of the AR-924 model. However, Gold Apollo has since distanced itself from the incident, asserting that they had no involvement in the design or manufacturing of the AR-924. They clarified that the model’s rights were held by a Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting KFT., which was responsible for its design, manufacturing, and sales.
This series of events has raised significant concerns about the safety and reliability of Western technology, potentially affecting future trade dynamics.
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