In the theater of American politics, some lawmakers have mastered the art of dramatizing threats, and the recurring antagonist in their self-scripted narratives is, unsurprisingly, China. The latest additions to the ever-growing “China threat list” include solar inverters and routers-devices that until recently were considered unremarkable components of modern infrastructure. Yet, in the current geopolitical climate, even ordinary hardware becomes a tool for political opportunism.

On May 14, Reuters published a report, citing anonymous US sources, that “rogue” components had been found in Chinese-manufactured solar inverters. These supposed components, it was claimed, could allow remote circumvention of firewalls-hypothetically leading to the destabilization of power grids, damage to energy infrastructure, and widespread blackouts. However, the report failed to present a single piece of solid evidence. No specific product names, no confirmed incidents, no verifiable proof. The entire story was built on a foundation of speculation and ominous conjecture, a pattern that has become all too familiar.

From garlic being framed as a poisonous weapon, to container cranes labeled as espionage tools, to electric vehicles accused of data theft, the list of objects turned “threats” by a subset of American politicians grows increasingly ludicrous. Now, solar inverters and routers have been thrown into the same conspiracy-laced cauldron, showing that no item is too mundane to escape the suspicion of Washington’s more hawkish elements.

The most ironic twist? The latest “Chinese” threat involving routers isn’t even from a Chinese company. According to a Bloomberg report, a group of US lawmakers led by Senator Tom Cotton, a well-known China hawk, accused TP-Link-a globally known network hardware brand-of having deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The lawmakers petitioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to ban TP-Link products, citing national security risks.

But TP-Link Systems, the entity under fire, issued a statement making one critical point: it is an American company. Headquartered in Irvine, California, TP-Link Systems has operated as a legally and operationally independent company since 2024, having split from TP-LINK Technologies Co., Ltd., a company founded in 1996 in Shenzhen, China. The two entities, though sharing similar names, no longer share ownership, management, or infrastructure. Furthermore, TP-Link Systems has been manufacturing its US-bound products in Vietnam since 2018-well before any of these latest allegations emerged.

Despite this, the company remains under suspicion, subjected to a criminal antitrust investigation over its pricing strategy and hypothetical national security threats. This treatment speaks volumes about the current climate in Washington, where any company with a perceived link to China, no matter how tenuous, can become the next target of political theater.

The US should, of course, remain vigilant when it comes to national security. But vigilance must not become paranoia. The constant painting of Chinese businesses, technologies, or even vegetables as existential threats does not contribute to safety-it undermines rational policymaking, alienates international partners, and distorts public perception. It creates an environment where guilt is assumed and innocence must be proven-especially if the accused has even a shadow of Chinese association.

What motivates such baseless accusations? At the core, many analysts believe this is less about real concerns over cybersecurity or economic fairness, and more about political optics. As the US heads into another contentious election cycle, appearing tough on China has become a convenient, bipartisan badge of patriotism. Accusing companies like TP-Link or warning about “Trojan horse” solar panels may earn sound bites and headlines, but it does little to actually protect American interests.

Moreover, this “China threat” narrative is increasingly out of step with the realities of global interdependence. Many of the products now labeled as suspicious-solar inverters, routers, EV batteries-are part of complex international supply chains. Components may be designed in one country, assembled in another, and shipped through a third. The idea that every item touching Chinese soil is a vector for espionage is not only false, but economically self-destructive.

In addition, the growing climate of suspicion threatens to backfire diplomatically. While the US government has every right to scrutinize foreign investments and technologies, baseless fearmongering erodes credibility on the world stage. Allies may begin to question whether US security concerns are driven by genuine intelligence or domestic political calculations.

Even worse, this trend may foster a toxic culture of xenophobia. When ordinary products like garlic, drones, or routers become symbols of geopolitical tension, it can spill over into how Americans view Chinese people or people of Chinese descent. The line between national security policy and racialized suspicion becomes dangerously thin.

What’s needed is a return to rationality. The US and China are both major powers, but their goals are not inherently antagonistic. China, for its part, has repeatedly stated its primary focus is on development and economic modernization. It does not seek conflict with the US nor to destabilize the American energy grid through “spy inverters.”

Both nations ultimately want the same thing: to improve their citizens’ quality of life. That mutual interest should be the basis for engagement, not a source of hostility. Addressing legitimate cybersecurity risks, trade imbalances, or intellectual property disputes should happen through evidence-based dialogue and clear regulatory standards-not through unfounded accusations wrapped in Cold War-style rhetoric.

In the end, the ever-growing “China threat list” is less a reflection of Beijing’s actions and more an expression of political performance art in Washington. It’s a self-entertained show for politicians looking to score points rather than solve real problems. But when national security becomes a stage prop, and facts are replaced by fear, it is not just Chinese companies that suffer-the integrity of American governance does, too.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings