by Thomas Klein
Three Chinese citizens have been arrested supposedly while trying to sneak into the facilities of Fresenius Medical Care and B.Braun. One of them is the CEO of a Chinese manufacturer that was suing both companies for price dumping.
The CEO of the Chinese manufacturer for dialysis devices Chongquing Shanwaishan Science & Technology Co. Ltd., denounced several German and Japanese competitors for price dumping. He accused Fresenius and B.Braun of selling their devices in China below production costs. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce is currently investigating the claim.
According to an article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung [in German], the CEO decided to go on a fact-finding mission to Germany. He and his two colleagues packed a camera and drove in a taxi to the Fresenius headquarter, where they couldn’t get into the building. In the B.Braun’s facility in Meldungen they apparently had more luck, as the police later found pictures of manufacturing machines and high-bay warehouses on the camera, some of the in highly restricted areas.
The trio was arrested after the plant security discovered them and now has to stand trial. According to the report, they said that their intention was to find prove for their allegations and to “learn” something. While the court proceeding is still ongoing, they have been released on bail. Back in China, the CEO retracted the report. Nonetheless, the investigations of the Ministry of Commerce are currently still ongoing.
The strange episode illustrates that doing business in China might become tougher and the local completion is taking off the gloves.
