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Chinese-Operated Container Terminal Opens in Haifa

(Globes) Guy Lieberman - A few weeks ago, the Haifa Bayport container terminal, operated by Chinese port giant Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG), was officially inaugurated. In his first interview in Israel, Bayport CEO Miao Qiang said SIPG operates Yangshan Port near Shanghai, considered the world's largest automated port. When the tender for operating the port took place, "the Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, approached the mayor of Shanghai and urged him...to make a bid." The Shanghai municipality owns 40% of SIPG. While the U.S. has raised suspicions about the involvement of a Chinese company, Qiang said, "We at SIPG came to Israel to do business, not politics....Do you know that 90% of the cranes in U.S. ports are made in China?...There is no government directive about coming to Israel. There are many large tenders in Israel and companies are looking to do business." He clarified, "We are operating under Israeli regulation. If we receive an order from the Chinese government to cease activity, something that could not happen, then according to the terms of the contract, the State of Israel has the option of removing us from the port. Even if there is a security incident, we are subject to the security officer who is not subject to the CEO. The activity in Israel is entirely according to the conditions set by the state."
2021-11-11 00:00:00
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