German laser tech company says gov’t blocks exports to China

A German company that specializes in laser communication says it is pulling out of uncompleted deals in China after the German government barred it from delivering hardware to the country.
Mynaric said last week that it had requested official clearance of a planned export of products to a Chinese customer, which it didn’t identify. It said it received a notification “that clearly prohibits Mynaric from delivering laser communication hardware to China.”
Asked yesterday about the company’s announcement, Economy Ministry spokesman Korbinian Wagner had no immediate comment and said the government typically doesn’t confirm, deny or comment on individual cases.
Mynaric, which said it hadn’t yet delivered any laser communication hardware to China, said it is ceasing business in China immediately and would start extricating itself from uncompleted transactions. It said it “considers its clear commitment to national interests of its core markets as critical to its business success.”
“This commitment is even more important now, considering pending governmental opportunities in the U.S. – a market that is currently gaining significant momentum,” it added, citing as one example the Space Development Agency’s current examination of proposals related to a U.S. government communication network.
Mynaric said it “has received high interest from numerous international actors.”
Increasing antagonism between the United States and China is rattling governments and companies around the world, with the role of China’s Huawei in 5G telecommunications networks one major source of tension. AP