Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Asked about the European Commission's announcement on Tuesday that it has opened an investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Anglo American's nickel business by MMG, a company owned by China Minmetals Corporation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that, as a matter of principle, China has always supported its enterprises in pursuing practical cooperation across various sectors on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

"We hope the parties concerned will honor their commitment to openness, respect the principles of market economy and fair competition, and refrain from politicizing economic and trade issues and overstretching the concept of security," Mao said. "All countries should provide a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises."

Global Times