COSCO Shipping Pisces, one of the world's largest container ships with a capacity of 20,000 TEU, is seen towed towards the dock of Piraeus port, Greece, Feb. 15, 2019. The ship has sailed nearly a month from China, and it will dock at Piraeus for 24 hours before starting its trip to the port of Antwerp in Belgium. (Xinhua/Yu Shuaishuai)

Chinese foreign ministry on Thursday urged Germany to provide Chinese companies with a fair business environment and should not set up barriers to business cooperation after Germany is reassessing whether to allow a Chinese firm to buy a stake in the Hamburg port.

Germany is reviewing its decision to allow China's COSCO to take a stake in one of logistical company HHLA's three terminals at the Hamburg port, the German economy ministry said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson from China's foreign ministry, urged Germany to view bilateral practical cooperation in an objective and rational way.

“The German side is well aware of the background of the acquisition. It is hoped that the German side will not politicize, stretch the security concern over and set barriers over normal business cooperation,” Wang said.

The German cabinet approved in October an investment by COSCO Shipping Ports for a 24.9 percent stake in its logistics firm HHLA's three terminals in Germany's largest port in Hamburg.

The cooperation would strengthen supply chains, secures jobs and promotes value creation in Germany, HHLA wrote in a newsletter after the deal was announced, refuting concerns expressed by some German politicians who claimed that the deal will expand Germany's dependence on China.