Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

China’s Hamburg port deal in doubt after German security assessment

China’s Hamburg port deal in doubt after German security assessment

Potential shift on key Chinese investment comes as Berlin urges Beijing to de-escalate tensions with Taiwan.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's controversial plan to sell parts of a Hamburg container terminal to China has been thrown into uncertainty after the country's security authorities declared the facility as "critical infrastructure."

Ahead of a state visit to Beijing last year, Scholz had strongly pushed for Chinese state company Cosco to be allowed to buy a minority stake in the Tollerort terminal in the Hamburg port, overruling concerns and objections from several ministers from his own government.

However, a sudden classification of the terminal as "critical infrastructure" by Germany's Federal Office for Information Security means that Berlin has to reassess the deal, and might end up banning it. A joint investigation by German public broadcasters WDR and NDR as well as daily Süddeutsche Zeitung first reported the new security assessment.

"Since the prerequisites have changed, we ... are examining the effects on the overall situation in our area of responsibility," a spokesperson for the German economy ministry told reporters at a regular press conference Wednesday.

The new security assessment is significant because even staunch defenders of the port deal, such as Hamburg's Social Democratic Mayor and close Scholz ally Peter Tschentscher, had repeatedly argued that China would and should not be given access to critical infrastructure. The logic of encouraging Chinese investment is that those ports would then be favored by Chinese shippers that take their business there.

The acquisition in Tollerort is part of a broader strategic gambit by Beijing to gain control over infrastructure critical to its globe-spanning Belt and Road trade initiative, a network of transport connections intended to link China's factories with rich Western markets.

Cosco already owns stakes in Europe's two largest ports at Rotterdam and Antwerp, while it also controls the port of Piraeus in Athens and is behind a scheme to expand an inland rail terminal at Duisburg where the Ruhr and the Rhine rivers meet, and which is a focal point for overland freight arriving from China's industrial hubs.

The potentially tighter approach by Berlin toward Beijing comes as Europe is scrambling to deal with the fallout from an interview given by French President Emmanuel Macron to POLITICO, in which Macron said the EU should not be "America’s followers" and get "caught up" in U.S.-Chinese tensions over Taiwan.

While a German government spokesperson declined to comment on the Macron interview, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry issued an appeal to China to de-escalate tensions with Taiwan and criticized Beijing's latest military exercise close to the island nation.

"We expect all parties in the region to contribute peace. That applies equally to the People's Republic of China," the spokeperson said, adding: "And it seems to us that actions such as military threatening gestures are counter to that goal and, in fact, increase the risk of unintended military clashes."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
×