But this is probably not related to espionage. As noted in the CNN article, it’s very common to have cell connections embedded in industrial hardware these days. Hell, OnStar has been doing it in cars for decades at this point.
But that’s not to say it’s nothing to worry about. These systems are also known to have terrible security, meaning any attacker could potentially access the system, not just China. And if this system collects data, or can control the crane, then there’s the possibility of having a very bad time.