Earth Science News
TRADE WARS
China says opposes 'politicising' trade after Germany blocks firm's sale
China says opposes 'politicising' trade after Germany blocks firm's sale
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) July 4, 2024

China said Thursday it opposed "politicising" normal business exchanges, after Germany blocked the sale of a gas turbine unit to a Chinese firm over apparent security concerns.

MAN Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of Volkswagen group, had been due to sell the unit to Chinese group GHGT and its offshoot Guanghan Gas Turbine.

But Germany's economy ministry said Wednesday that Chancellor Olaf Scholz's cabinet had prohibited the move, declining to provide further details owing to security concerns and the company's operational secrets.

Asked about the decision on Thursday, Beijing's foreign ministry said it "stands in opposition to politicising normal trade cooperation, overextending the notion of national security and artificially erecting trade barriers".

"We hope the German side will provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises from all countries, including China," ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing.

Germany has rules in place allowing the government to review or block foreign purchases of stakes of as little as 10 percent in "critical technology" and "critical infrastructure" companies.

According to business daily Handelsblatt, the potential buyer is believed to have close links to the Chinese armaments industry, and experts have warned it could use the gas turbine technology for military purposes including in warships, drones or fighter jets.

Fears have been growing in Germany about over-reliance on Beijing and letting critical infrastructure fall into the hands of Chinese state-linked companies.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent dwindling of crucial gas supplies to Europe has further accentuated the concerns.

mjw/je/smw

Volkswagen

Related Links
Global Trade News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TRADE WARS
Scholz criticises minister for unapproved deal with China
Berlin (AFP) June 28, 2024
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticised Friday his transport minister for making an agreement with China without prior approval from cabinet colleagues, in the latest tensions to hit his fraught coalition. Volker Wissing on Wednesday signed a letter of intent with the head of China's cybersecurity agency, Zhuang Rongwen, on "cross-border data transfers". Although few specifics of the deal were shared, the transport ministry said the memorandum was the next step after Scholz sealed a cooperat ... read more

TRADE WARS
Radiation's Impact on Bird Breeding and Microbiomes in Chornobyl

11 dead, 35 missing after Indonesia landslide

Floods and landslides kill 14 in Nepal: police

Some Caribbean islands destroyed by Hurricane Beryl: Red Cross

TRADE WARS
Amazon to build 'top secret' cloud for Australia's spies

Icesat-2 Resumes Data Collection After Solar Storms

MIT researchers identify routes to stronger titanium alloys

Microsoft to invest 2.2 bn euros in Spain data centres

TRADE WARS
Dam breach triggers floods in central China

Senegal to scrap Saudi desalination plant deal: govt

Ancient Greek sanctuary slowly sinks into the Aegean Sea

China builds new presidential palace in Pacific's Vanuatu

TRADE WARS
Dubai rowers to brave Arctic to highlight plastics pollution

Tourists seek out Nordic holidays to keep cool

Norway blocks unique real estate sale in Arctic Svalbard

White House moves to protect Alaskan land

TRADE WARS
Sticky future: climate change hits Nepal's honey hunters

In Belgian farmland, 'Saving Bambi' one dawn mission at a time

Anti-deforestation rule leaves EU farmers worried about feeding livestock

Sinkholes spread fear in Turkey's parched breadbasket

TRADE WARS
Eight dead, two million affected by Bangladesh floods

25 people drown in Sudan fleeing fighting: activists' committee

Six dead as floods inundate vast swath of India, Bangladesh and China

Beryl downgraded after slamming Texas with deadly rains, wind

TRADE WARS
Sahel military chiefs mark divorce from West Africa bloc

Niger, Mali, Burkina 'irrevocably turned backs' on West African bloc: military leader

Divided West Africa hosts two summits this weekend

DR Congo 'coup' suspect says forced into it by father

TRADE WARS
Lucy while barely a metre tall still towers over our understanding of human origins

Murdered and forgotten: Iraqi victims of gender-based violence

Just thinking about a location activates mental maps in the brain

Tiny species of Great Ape lived in Germany 11M years ago

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.