Acquisitions are viewed critically
The government is increasingly rejecting investments from China
September 15, 2023, 6:15 p.m
The Ministry of Economic Affairs is increasingly putting a stop to Chinese companies that want to invest in German companies. In some cases strict requirements apply, others are completely prohibited. The regulations are set to become even stricter in the future.
According to a report, the federal government has banned a total of nine Chinese investment projects in Germany since taking office or only approved them under certain conditions. This emerges from the response of the Ministry of Economics to a list of questions from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, which is available to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
Since December 2021, 54 investment reviews have been completed in which Chinese companies wanted to take over German companies in whole or in part. In three cases the purchase was completely banned and in six it was subject to conditions. A further six cases resolved themselves because the interested party decided not to take over, and seven proceedings were discontinued.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck has repeatedly emphasized that he wants to take a closer look at Chinese takeovers. The investment review law should be tightened. It was only announced on Wednesday that the federal government does not want to allow the planned takeover of a German satellite company by a Chinese company.
Last November, the sale of chip production by the Dortmund company Elmos to a Chinese investor was prohibited. The entry of the Chinese state shipping company Cosco into a terminal in the port of Hamburg was only approved under certain conditions after a coalition dispute. The federal government can impose conditions or prohibit the acquisition or participation in a German company by a non-EU state. The test standard is a likely impairment of public order or security in Germany.