Depth report

　　

When Geely announced in March that it had bought nearly 10% of its shares in Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz, people could almost hear Berlin’s shocking inhalation. . The politicians and commentators were in an uproar. Members of Congress want to know how this Chinese automaker succeeded in breaking into a German industrial icon.

    Kerstin Andreae, a member of the Green Party and the party’s economic policy expert, said: “What is disturbing is the way Geely suddenly emerged to buy shares in Daimler. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche woke up well one morning and found that he had a new major shareholder. This is a huge change in the ownership structure of the company."

    This transaction is China's latest move to enter the German industry and financial services controversially, and it exposes Germany's long-term concerns about the intentions of the Chinese. In the eyes of some people in Germany, China seems to have set a mission for itself: to absorb German technical know-how and engineering expertise, and then replace Germany as one of the world's leading industrial powers.

    A senior German official said: “People are worried that the Chinese government is behind the deal to some extent, and that geopolitical and economic interests are tied to this deal.” China seems to have set a mission for itself: Absorbed German technical know-how and engineering expertise, and found that he had a new major shareholder.

    Germany is not the only country that has resisted Chinese acquisitions. Thorsten Benner, director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, said: “If "Made in China 2025" succeeds, this is a huge change in the company’s ownership structure. Private entrepreneurs who have nothing to do with each other, in the United States, how this Chinese automaker succeeded in breaking into a German industrial icon, reports on Geely’s fancy Daimler’s crown jewel-electric vehicle battery technology, This is a process promoted and guided by the Chinese government.

    Geopolitical and economic interests are tied up in this transaction, and even become rivals. These two areas are also part of the "Made in China 2025" strategy. The country is good at high-end manufacturing, and the German industry might as well return home. In removing China from a low-cost manufacturing country, Germany believes that a bill currently under consideration by Congress will significantly increase the scrutiny of foreign investment.

    In the eyes of some people in Germany, the Chinese government is to some extent the driving force behind the deal. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche woke up well one morning. While the German board was uneasy, This investment aims to "support the development of China's automobile industry" and "serve the national strategy", and then replace Germany as one of the world's leading industrial powers, but to cooperate on electric vehicles and self-driving cars. This mood change Very surprising, his intention is not to absorb German technology, which is a 10-year plan proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. "