Portugal's Prime Minister, António Costa, has mounted a stiff verbal assault on Germany and France in his defence of Chinese investment in the EU.
Costa has insisted that EU member states should not misuse new security measures applying to Chinese business by creating trade barriers across Europe.
France and Germany have demanded that EU countries follow their moves to screen non-EU investments in retaliation for the European Commission blocking a planned Siemens-Alstom merger.
The European Parliament has approved regulations to screen investments from non-EU countries, concerned that China is buying into sensitive technology and using contracts to spy on industrial and military targets.
But in an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Costa said EU countries should resist implementing protectionist policies despite the perceived threat.
In an interview with the FT, Costa said, “It is one thing to use screening to protect strategic sectors, it is another to use it to open the door to protectionism. Our experience with Chinese investment has been very positive. The Chinese have shown complete respect for our legal framework and the rules of the market.”
China has poured money into Portugal with its purchase of significant holdings in energy supplier, EDP, Luz Saudi, a private hospital group, and the insurer, Fidelidade.
Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager hit back at a Franco-German effort to alter the EU’s rules and said that Europe is better off pushing for a framework that provides fair competition.
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It is helerious how Britain see's itself. ..
One Dutch commentator put it so well, when he referred to Britain's inability to see that they have come to the end of these negotiations and there is nothing further to negotiate
He said and I quote. ..
The British are like the crew of the Titanic, they are all looking at the iceberg and the Captain said "well the iceberg will just have to move".
Britain has become the laughing stock of Europe and beyond, how sad.
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Bottom line is the train has left the station and the EU isn't on it.
Is there any country as open as the UK and once it is gone - which of the next most evolved in the EU will take up the banner of openness?
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Hopefully Portugal would do what Britain did in leaving themselves so open, that they were taken advantage of by the large U.S and Chinese multinational companies and workers from outside the EU, who were forced to work for less money and this resulted in many British citizens losing their jobs.
And of course the EU was blamed for it by some that had their own agenda.
He probably has already done so