The European Union is preparing new guidance to combat China's increasingly concerning reach into the bloc's critical maritime infrastructure, according to a Council document seen by Euronews.
While the document doesn't explicitly mention China, references to foreign investment screening, ownership of critical infrastructure, geopolitical threats and strategic autonomy leave little doubt about the underlying concern.
Chinese state-linked companies like COSCO Shipping hold stakes in major EU ports, including the Ports of Hamburg and Rotterdam in Germany, and the Port of Piraeus in Greece is often referred to as Beijing's "gateway to Europe".
The draft Council conclusions, proposed by the European Commission last December and due to be approved by transport ministers on Monday, reflect a profound shift in European thinking from treating ports merely as commercial gateways to viewing them as strategic assets that underpin supply chains, energy security and military mobility.
The nascent strategy "addresses competition with third countries and foreign ownership and strengthens logistics security", reads the Commission proposal.
