“We will always act to protect our national security, and we are committed to strengthening and prioritizing resilient and sustainable offshore wind supply chains,” said a Downing Street spokesperson.
But what exactly was the threat it posed, and did it merit this banning, just as the Scottish parliament was closing down and heading into election purdah? One of the problems is that because the security assessment has not been published, we don’t know the full details. The UK Government has revealed extraordinarily little.
The rejection, however, by the UK Government should come as no big surprise. Over the past eighteen months in which it has sat on it, numerous experts and politicians have expressed serious concern about the potential threats that the project may pose.
So, what were, and are, they?
What are the fears?
Ming Yang, the third-largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world, is a private company, not controlled by Chinese Government, but subsidised by it and, under Chinese law, required to cooperate with national security services, and Ardersier would have been its first wind farm manufacturing site in Europe, though already it has turbines in place in the Taranto windfarm in the Mediterranean.
Possible risks attached to the deal have been raised by numerous politicians in recent years. Last year Conservative shadow Scottish secretary Andrew Bowie said it was “unthinkable to disregard the security implications” of the project.
“Security experts,” he said, “have warned that sensors could spy on British seas, defence submarine programmes and the layout of our energy infrastructure,. We would be reliant on Chinese equipment and software, and on Chinese suppliers for updates and maintenance, handing Beijing significant opportunity for interference.”
SNP MP Stewart McDonald, one of 43 British MPs hacked by the Chinese government, also criticised the proposal, saying, “We are handing over such important capability to the net-zero transition to an entity that comes from an authoritarian and hostile state at a time when the European Union and other countries are going in a different direction.”.
Nevertheless the decision has been met with some shock and outrage, coming at the start of an election campaign for Holyrood. Outgoing deputy first minister Kate Forbes claimed it was “simply sabotage of Scotland’s industrial future”. Executives at energy firm Octopus Energy, said that the decision would mean the country will miss out on “decades of cheaper electricity”
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What do the China-sceptic experts say?
In June 2025, following a UK Government ‘China audit’, Andrew Yeh and Sam Goodman of the China Strategic Risks Institute, published five next steps for UK-China policy. One of these was to ‘de-risk’ critical national infrastructure (CNI). They wrote: “The NSS acknowledged China’s known cyber and espionage threats to the UK, but the reality is that China continues to play a significant role in the UK’s CNI.”
They also noted :”The UK relies heavily on Chinese made solar panels, and is considering using Chinese firm Ming Yang to supply major offshore wind projects in the North Sea. Removing risky Chinese technologies from CNI, while also removing the five year limit on retrospective screening interventions on pre-2021 investments are essential first steps.”
How does Ming Yang fit into the broader picture of renewables and security?
Last year, William Matthews, consultant specialising in China, wrote in a piece for Chatham House that “deeper bilateral links are unavoidable given China’s geopolitical and economic influence”. But, he noted, “closer engagement requires significantly stronger mitigation of the risks China poses to UK national security, as well as steps to build resilience to the effects of Sino-US competition.”
Its recommendations included: “a zero-tolerance approach to Chinese malign influence operations in the UK; sector-specific encouragement (or, as appropriate, restriction) of Chinese investment; and cooperation with allies to improve supply-chain resilience and deter Chinese aggression”.
He wrote: ”The government’s continued pursuit of a net zero energy policy has the effect of encouraging British companies to buy solar and wind energy equipment from China; no credible alternative sources of such equipment exist at the scale required..”
Are there past examples of issues with Chinese companies?
Yes. Among them are Jingye, which threatened to close down the furnaces at British Steel’s Scunthorpe last year. After weeks of talks, the UK Government intervened to prevent the closure of the UK’s last remaining steel blast furnaces, taking over the daily running of the loss-making business from its Chinese owner. Jingye still has economic control of British Steel, though reports suggest it is is on track to be nationalised within weeks.
There is also the decision to close Grangemouth’s oil refinery, taken by PetroIneos, a company half-owned by PetroChina.
In 2020, the UK Government banned new Huawei equipment from 5G networks, following the lead of the United States, with its complete removal due next year.
What other energy infrastructure or manufacturing does China have investments in?
Significant Chinese investments in nuclear energy, including General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN)’s original 33.5 per cent stake in the Hinkley Point C power station, and CGN’s 66.5 per cent stake in the proposed Bradwell B site.
What does this ultimately say about future deals?
In his Chatham House paper last year, William Matthews advocated the adopting of a‘”UK first, allies (other than the US) second’ policy for majority investments for investments granting decision-making rights, and for company acquisitions in the 17 critical sectors identified in the NSIA”.
Such allies might include, for instance, Denmark, where wind turbine company Vestas, the largest supplier in Europe, is headquartered – and which on the same day as the Ming Yang deal was blocked, announced plans to establish a nacelle and hub factory in Scotland.
But at the same time Matthews also recommended that we encourage ”Chinese investment that creates UK jobs, boosts domestic manufacturing and provides access to advanced technologies, including in critical sectors where expertise and capacity in the UK and among its allies are lacking. This includes in sectors such as robotics, renewable energy technology and EV.” Though, with a proviso, that these are evaluated for risk.
Is the UK alone in being worried about Ming Yang investment?
No. In a 2026 report, Norwegian intelligence agencies warned that Chinese technology used for wind and solar power could pose a security risk.
Last year, German media reported on an advisory paper from the German Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (GIDS), which warned that all legal options must be used to prevent plans to build a wind farm off the coast of Germany, where developer Luxcara had awarded the contract to a Chinese manufacturer, Ming Yang. The report warned of espionage via sensors to and disruption of energy supplies.
What did Ming Yang say about security?
The company responded to the announcement saying it was a “missed opportunity” and that the “wish to protect national security” was one of Ming Yang’s priorities too.
“Ming Yang,” it said, “is a non-state owned or controlled company listed in Shanghai with a secondary listing in London. We have been engaged with the UK Government for over two years and, following preliminary discussions with officials, Ming Yang has developed a comprehensive technological and commercial solution to address the main national security challenge: data and cybersecurity.
“Our approach in summary is to ensure that all operational and project data is stored and processed exclusively within the UK, under UK jurisdiction and control, with strict access protocols, independent oversight, and with certified cybersecurity systems in place. We urge the UK Government to now formally set out any remaining national security concerns and obligations.”
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