Germany has blocked the Chinese acquisition of a logistics group in its biggest seaport, a decision underlining Berlin’s firmer stance against Beijing under Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The decision, approved by the cabinet on Wednesday, follows a review of the planned acquisition by Chinese state-owned shipping group Cosco of an 80 per cent stake in Konrad Zippel Spediteur, a medium-sized logistics group operating in the North Sea port of Hamburg. The move comes as Berlin is preparing new legislation designed to tighten investment screening.
It also underlines a sharpening of Germany’s posture towards China, whose cheap electric vehicles and steel products have hurt German manufacturers at home and in their traditional export markets. Since taking office in May 2025, Merz has sought to balance the desire to attract foreign investment to rekindle Germany’s stagnating economy, and the need to beef up tools to safeguard critical infrastructure and reduce potentially harmful economic dependencies. The decision to reject Cosco’s acquisition was “based on security concerns,” a spokesperson for the economy ministry said in an email to the FT. “The acquisition would have deepened dependencies and jeopardised the resilience of Germany’s and the EU’s supply chains,” he added.
Cosco and the Chinese embassy in Berlin did not respond to requests for comment. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately comment. The Zippel Group specialises in inland container transport, primarily connecting Germany’s largest port complex with the country’s eastern states, the German economy ministry said.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing