Some of the representatives of the German government parties have also considered Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who pushed the terminal trade, to be naive. The fear is the growth of China’s influence.
17:13•Updated 20:32
In Germany, the government has approved the partial sale of one terminal in the port of Hamburg to a Chinese state-owned company.
Germany is selling a 24.9 percent stake in the container terminal in Germany’s largest port to the Chinese state-owned company Cosco.
The deal is smaller than planned, as Germany originally planned to sell a 35 percent share of the terminal to China.
Among other things, the German security authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense opposed the Chancellor By Olaf Scholz profitable terminal trade with China. A total of six ministries opposed the deal.
“Trade increases China’s influence”
According to the opponents, the terminal trade increases too much China’s influence in Germany and Germany’s dependence on China.
According to the German Ministry of Finance, the trade was reduced due to security issues.
Documents seen by Reuters warn of the risks of “China being able to influence European transport infrastructure.”
The EU Commission has also reportedly warned Germany about terminal trade.
Opponents of the deal say Scholz is naive
Social Democratic Chancellor Scholz has assured that it is only a financial project. Politicians opposed to the project have called Scholz pessimistic because of the security risks associated with the trade.
The representatives of the governing parties have also sharply criticized Scholz.
For example, the greens Anton Hofreiter said that the Chancellor’s attitude can be described as naive at best.
Chairman of the youth department of the Liberal Party FDP Franziska Brandmann accused the government of naivety in security policy.
Opposition leader representing the Conservatives Friedrich Merz called for a reassessment of relations with China.
Scholz will travel to China next week
According to Scholz and the supporters of the deal, the completed deal does not give the Chinese company decision-making power in important matters or in the management of the terminal.
The port operator HHLA, owned by the city of Hamburg, has previously justified the deal by saying that it binds a long-term customer to use the port of Hamburg in a tough competitive situation.
Scholz is estimated to have been behind the compromise solution. Scholz is a former mayor of Hamburg.
The Chancellor will travel to China next week. According to Scholz’s board representative, the deal approved today is not related to the trip to China.
Chinese companies also own parts of other European ports, such as the ports of Antwerp in Belgium and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
More on the topic:
German Chancellor Scholz supports the partial sale of the port of Hamburg to China, even though a total of six ministries oppose the deals
26.10. at 8:28 p.m.: The story has been corrected: The story previously incorrectly read that Antwerp was in the Netherlands. Antwerp is in Belgium.