{"id":495695,"date":"2026-03-26T03:30:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T03:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/495695\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T03:30:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T03:30:16","slug":"chinese-firms-1-5bn-scottish-wind-farm-factory-blocked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/495695\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese firm’s \u00a31.5bn Scottish wind farm factory blocked"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Ming Yang \u2013 one of the world\u2019s largest wind turbine manufacturers \u2013 had been looking to build the UK\u2019s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility at Ardersier near Inverness<\/a> but the plans will not be progressed, The Scotsman<\/a> first reported.\n<\/p>\n

\n There were concerns about whether the firm had links to the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and around Chinese laws meaning companies in the country are obliged to work with security services.\n<\/p>\n

\n Previously, the Scottish Government<\/a> had lobbied Ming Yang to build the factory<\/a>, but First Minister John Swinney said it was \u201cdependent\u201d on national security decisions from the UK Government<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

\n READ MORE: This tricky catch is baked into the Union. What will Scotland do about it?<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n In response to Labour\u2019s decision to block the development, a Ming Yang spokesperson told The Scotsman: “We are disappointed by the UK Government’s decision not to allow Ming Yang’s world-leading technology to be used.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe decision misses a significant opportunity to increase competition in the capacity-constrained wind turbine market, delays Ming Yang’s plans to invest \u00a31.5bn in Scotland in onshore wind turbine production \u2013 creating up to 1500 jobs \u2013 and risks energy prices staying higher for longer for British households and industry at a time of global energy shocks.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n They added: “We will continue to engage constructively with the UK Government, including on the important topic of national security, and remain committed to supporting the UK’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe continue to believe in the long-term potential of the UK market, and our planned activities remain unchanged.”\n<\/p>\n

\n Labour Energy Minister Michael Shanks was previously asked about the Ming Yang plans at Westminster (Image: BBC)\n<\/p>\n

\n A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “Industry have sought our view on the use of these turbines in British waters and in our energy system. After careful consideration, Government’s view is that we cannot support the use of them in UK offshore wind projects.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe will always act to protect our national security, and we are committed to strengthening and prioritising resilient and sustainable offshore wind supply chains.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe\u202fwelcome investment from China where it’s in our national interest \u2013 as demonstrated by significant inward investment during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Beijing.\n<\/p>\n

\n “We will continue to take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to our relationship with China \u2013 cooperating where we can, whilst never compromising on security and resilience.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n In January, Ming Yang\u2019s head of UK and European operations Aman Wang said the company had a \u201cshortlist of ports\u201d lined up if the Ardersier site was not approved, adding that \u201cthe five are on the continent\u201d.\n<\/p>\n

\n READ MORE: Stella McCartney’s Highland mansion approved by planners despite public outcry<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n Responding to the news, local MP and SNP<\/a> Westminster<\/a> energy spokesperson, Graham Leadbitter said: \u201cThis has been on the desks of UK Government officials for over 18 months \u2013 their dithering over whether to approve this or not will have far-reaching consequences that, once again, will be left for Scotland to deal with.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cRather than making a quick decision, they\u2019ve left hundreds of much-needed energy jobs in limbo, and have spooked investors who\u2019ll now want to think twice before considering dealing with this irresponsible and unbothered UK government.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cScotland\u2019s energy sector has been hung out to dry by this Westminster Labour government who\u2019ve overseen thousands of job losses in the sector mainly in the north and North East of Scotland.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe need to retain as much of the skills and experience that\u2019s been built up here over the decades as possible if we\u2019re to achieve a Just Transition for our world-leading energy sector.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cFor that to happen we need investment and certainty. Instead, Labour has only offered dither and delay.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Last year, Conservative shadow minister Greg Smith challenged the UK Government over the Ming Yang plans, saying: \u201cOur security services have warned us about the risks of Chinese state-sponsored hackers trying to infiltrate and destroy energy systems in the west, and hidden kill switches have been found in Chinese solar installation technology in the United States.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cCan the minister provide the House with a very clear assurance that neither Ming Yang nor the Chinese state will be able to remotely control our energy infrastructure. Yes or no?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Energy Minister Michael Shanks responded: \u201cFirst, I will take no lessons from the party that brought Chinese investors right into building our nuclear power station \u2026 but every single decision and investment obviously has to pass stringent national security tests.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI will not engage right now in what those tests will be, but we will say very clearly that no decision we make will ever compromise our national security.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Earlier in March, Scottish Labour<\/a> MP Joani Reid stood back from the party after her husband was arrested amid an investigation into Chinese interference in UK politics<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

\n On Wednesday, Danish firm Vestas announced plans to create 500 skilled jobs at a new \u00a3220 million factory in Scotland<\/a>. However, the investment in the factory is \u201cconditional on securing sufficient UK-based orders\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ming Yang \u2013 one of the world\u2019s largest wind turbine manufacturers \u2013 had been looking to build the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":495696,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[59,57,58,50,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-495695","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-united-kingdom","8":"tag-gb","9":"tag-great-britain","10":"tag-greatbritain","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495695\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}