German government undecided on Chinese bid for Port of Hamburg

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - The German government has yet to coordinate internally on a common position on China's investment bid for a container terminal in the Port of Hamburg, a government spokesman said on Friday.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has not yet exchanged views on the issue with the ministers involved, this must be awaited, Wolfgang Buechner, the spokesman for the chancellor, told reporters in Berlin.

He did not want to comment on specific questions about China's planned investment bid itself.

While Scholz has reportedly backed a deal that would see Chinese shipping company Cosco acquire a stake in the Port of Hamburg, six ministries and at least two German intelligence agencies have strongly opposed a possible agreement.

Furthermore, the Greens and Free Democrats that are junior government coalition partners of Scholz's Social Democratic Party, have criticized China's planned investment.

The background is a deal concluded in September 2021 between the Hamburg port logistics company HHLA and the Chinese terminal operator Cosco Shipping Ports Limited on a 35% stake for the Chinese in the HHLA terminal in Tollerort.