AfD rejects involvement of Chinese firms in ports, digital networks

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is calling for limiting the involvement of Chinese companies in Germany's seaports and digital infrastructure.

After a debate among delegates at a national party conference in Riesa, a town in the eastern state of Saxony, the AfD adopted the demands for inclusion in the party election manifesto.

"In general, seaports are part of the critical infrastructure and must therefore remain under German control," a motion approved by the delegates said.

Another motion that was approved said: "We reject the involvement of Chinese companies, which are de facto under the control of the Chinese Communist Party, in the expansion of the digital infrastructure in Germany."

Opponents of the demands said that Chinese companies should not be broadly condemned. In addition, they said it would be difficult for the German mobile network to operate without technology from China.

Last year, the German government agreed to be begin excluding components made by Chinese telecoms from the country's 5G networks

Ports have also been a simmering issue. The Chinese state-owned company COSCO has a 24.99% stake in a container terminal in the port of Hamburg. COSCO originally wanted to take over 35% of the CTT operating company.

However, several German ministries protested this, so in 2023 the government set the threshold at less than 25% in order to prevent COSCO from having a blocking minority, which would have allowed the Chinese to have greater influence.