BEIJING, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The U.S has "no right" to interfere in Chinese cooperation with Germany, China's foreign ministry said Thursday, after Washington cautioned against Beijing getting a controlling stake in Hamburg's port terminal.
U.S. interference is symptomatic of its practice of coercive diplomacy, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing in Beijing.
"Pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany is a matter for the two sovereign countries, the United States should not attack it without reason and has no right to meddle and interfere," Zhao said Thursday, a day before German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was due in Beijing for a one day visit where he is expected to meet President Xi Jinping.
Chinese shipping giant Cosco made a bid last year to take a 35% stake in one of logistics firm HHLA's (HHFGn.DE) three terminals in Germany's largest port, but Germany's coalition was divided over the deal.
Last week the German cabinet approved a 24.9% stake investment by Cosco in what an economy ministry source described as an "emergency solution" to approve the deal but mitigate the impact.
The approved investment does not give Cosco any say in management or strategic decisions.
Reporting by Eduardo Baptista, Writing by Martin Quin Pollard; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Kim Coghill
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blue_kit_kat on November 3rd, 2022 at 11:41 UTC »
Are they interfering or just warning against it? Is there even a difference in the two in regards to something like that?
MooLen on November 3rd, 2022 at 10:34 UTC »
I love how every ministry voted against it and the Federal Chancellery was like "fuck off with your good advices let's do it anyways"
cheeznfries on November 3rd, 2022 at 10:23 UTC »
How interesting to see this as I'm on a containership leaving port of Hamburg right now