Chinese state-owned companies COSCO and Hutchison hold significant stakes in ports in eight European countries.

Error detected

Hutchison (CK Hutchison Holdings / Hutchison Ports) is mischaracterized as a 'Chinese state-owned company.' It is a Hong Kong-based privately held conglomerate, not a state-owned enterprise.

Omissions

• CK Hutchison Holdings (parent of Hutchison Ports) is NOT a Chinese state-owned company — it is a privately held conglomerate founded by Li Ka-shing, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Grouping it as 'Chinese state-owned' misrepresents its corporate structure.
• The European Parliament's own 2023 research (EPRS) refers to both COSCO and Hutchison under the broader category of 'Chinese firms,' not state-owned enterprises, acknowledging the distinction.
• The exact count of 8 European countries cannot be precisely verified from available sources, though evidence confirms COSCO and Hutchison combined hold stakes in at least 7-10 European countries (Greece, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, UK, France, Sweden, and possibly Italy), making the claim of 8 broadly consistent with the available data.
• Some sources predate the June 2026 session date (e.g., the EPRS brief is from 2023), and more recent data on the full country count was not found in the searches conducted.

Sources

• SecondaryEuropean Parliament Research Service (EPRS)Chinese firms have since been developing economic interests in ports in European counties, including Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. The document groups COSCO and Hutchison among 'Chinese firms' without designating Hutchison as state-owned.
• SecondaryLloyd's ListFrom Felixstowe to Piraeus: China's European port investments — the article maps Chinese port investments across multiple EU countries including the UK (Felixstowe, Hutchison), Greece (Piraeus, COSCO), Germany (Hamburg, COSCO), Spain (Barcelona and Tarragona), the Netherlands (Rotterdam), and Belgium.
• SecondaryKuehne+Nagel NewsCOSCO and Hutchison together hold stakes in nearly 30 terminals across the EU. COSCO won a 50-year concession for a multipurpose terminal at Spain's port of Tarragona.
• SecondaryPort TechnologyCosco Pacific purchased a 35% stake in Euromax Container Terminal in Rotterdam, Netherlands.