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US Has ‘No Right’ to Interfere in Our Deals With Germany: China

The statement came after Washington “strongly suggested” that China’s Cosco should not get a controlling stake in a contested deal over a terminal at the port in Hamburg


China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian speaks at a news conference in Beijing, on March 18, 2022. File photo: CG Rawlins, Reuters.

 

China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that the US has “no right” to interfere with its “cooperation” with Germany.

Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian described US interference as coercive diplomacy, speaking to reporters on Thursday in Beijing.

The statement came after Washington “strongly suggested” that Beijing would not get a controlling stake in a controversial deal over a terminal at the port in Hamburg.

Chinese shipping giant Cosco made a bid last year to take a 35% stake in Hamburg port terminal, but Germany’s coalition has been divided over whether to let the deal go ahead.

 

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“Pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany is a matter for the two sovereign countries,” Zhao said.

“The United States should not attack it without reason and has no right to meddle and interfere.”

Germany may allow China’s Cosco to take a smaller stake – 24.9%– than originally planned in the port terminal, in what an economy ministry source last week described as an “emergency solution” to approve the deal but mitigate the impact.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is due to visit Beijing on Friday, where he is expected to meet President Xi Jinping.

 

  • Reuters, with additional editing from Alfie Habershon

 

Read more:

Germany May Grant Cosco a Smaller Stake in Hamburg Port

Germany Seen Reviewing Ways to Cut China Dependency

China Targets Economic Growth And ‘Positive’ Interest Rates

 

 

 

Alfie Habershon

Alfie is a Reporter at Asia Financial. He previously lived in Mumbai reporting on India's economy and healthcare for data journalism initiative IndiaSpend, as well as having worked for London based Tortoise Media.

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