China, with its cheap labor, may cause havoc to both Asian and European companies but sometimes Chinese companies are helpless too. Hutchison Port Holdings, a division of Hutchison Whampoa, is not even a fully Chinese company as it is based in Hong Kong. There is a project in Indian city Mumbai to build a container port and Hutchison Port Holdings was one of the ten companies that were interested to compete for the project. However, now, Indian government has told the company that it cannot bid in this project. Security concerns- this is the reason given by India. I am quoting from a report of IHT:
“India has barred a Chinese company from participating in a project to build a container port in Mumbai, citing security concerns, a senior port official said Wednesday.
The Hong Kong-based Hutchison Port Holdings, a division of Hutchison Whampoa, was the only candidate out of 10 that was barred, said Mohana Chandran, secretary of Mumbai Port Trust, the government agency that oversees the bidding process.
Chandran said that "the security clearance for the management contractor, Hutchison in this case, was denied."
He added that the decision applied specifically to Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, and not to all of India.
"This decision by the government was taken purely for this project and I can't comment on any policy decision," he said.”
The Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing is the main figure behind Hutchison. Mr. Li is one of the closest men in Hong Kong of Chinese government. So, naturally, Indian government was not too keen to allow the company to bid in a port project. After all, Mumbai is the most important port for India.
What do you think about this matter?
You bastards.
Posted by: Mr. Li | September 3, 2006 6:12 AM | Permalink to Comment