China asks Germany for open, fair market and to avoid politicization normal business cooperation

P: According to reports, Germany wants to block the sale of a chip factory to a Chinese company, saying it could constitute a threat to its security. Do you have any comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: I’m not aware of the specifics you mentioned. I would like to point out that the Chinese government always encourages Chinese businesses to conduct mutually beneficial investment cooperation overseas in accordance with market principles and international rules as well as local laws and regulations. We hope Germany and other countries will provide a fair, open and non-discriminatory market environment for Chinese companies doing business there, and refrain from politicizing normal economic and trade cooperation, still less using national security as a pretext to practice protectionism.