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Robot manufacturer Kuka: Already sold to China
Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / dpa
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to China with a business delegation about two weeks ago.
The SPD politician campaigned to strengthen trade relations in a fair way.
Other leading SPD politicians are apparently taking a much tougher course against the economic dominance from the Far East.
In any case, several have now called for stricter economic policy measures to prevent the influence of Chinese investors in Germany.
"We have to better protect our critical infrastructure and crucial sectors and make them future-proof," said Cansel Kiziltepe, head of the SPD employee wing and state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Construction, the "Handelsblatt".
In the future, the state will »more and more frequently support companies directly and also have to step in temporarily.«
Appropriate aid should be provided from the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) created at the beginning of the corona pandemic - albeit subject to certain conditions.
Kiziltepe is quoted as saying: "Anyone who takes advantage of state aid must show transformation paths, preserve jobs and forgo dividends and bonuses."
Meanwhile, the federal government is coming under more and more pressure when it comes to China policy.
With regard to the draft of the new China strategy, which SPIEGEL reported on, Beijing accuses the traffic light coalition of seeing the country as a “competitor” and “systemic rival” – and feels disparaged.
Kuchaty: Keep future technologies in the country
There has recently been plenty of reason to think about reducing dependencies.
The Federal Ministry of Economics took action against the takeover of companies from the semiconductor industry.
The cabinet recently decided to ban the sale of the Dortmund-based company Elmos' chip production to its Chinese-controlled competitor Silex.
The sale of another company to Chinese investors was also prohibited.
It is said to be the Bavaria-based company ERS Electronic.
According to the “Handelsblatt”, the SPD federal deputy Thomas Kutschaty therefore proposes a “transformation fund”.
"The state must be active when it comes to keeping and rebuilding future technologies in the country," he told the newspaper.
In order to prevent new dependencies, the federal, state and local governments would have to take their own financial means - "especially in the case of future-oriented companies where takeovers from other economic areas are threatened".
According to the information, the Greens reject the SPD considerations.
"I don't think an investment fund or the like is the right instrument to protect against Chinese investments," said Green Party leader Katharina Dröge to the "Handelsblatt".
Only in absolute exceptional cases should the state itself become active through participation.
"But you don't need an extra fund for that." That doesn't make sense from a regulatory point of view, it restricts competition.
Better investment reviews are the much sharper sword.
Apr