Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has said the carmaker was in talks about deepening cooperation with Volvo Cars and London Taxis parent Geely, though German politicians were drawing up measures to protect German industry from foreign rivals.
Reuters noted that, in October, Daimler said it was setting up a ride-hailing joint venture in China with Geely after the Chinese company bought a 9.69% stake in Daimler and demanded an alliance, catching German managers off guard.
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"We are in talks about other topics which have a bigger dimension," Zetsche said of the Chinese talks, declining to elaborate further.
Germany's government on Tuesday said it could buy stakes in domestic companies, including carmakers, as a way to shield them from unwanted prevent foreign takeovers, presenting a marked shift in industrial strategy.
"Countries that pursue industrial policies tend not to be competitive, we did not ask for these measures," Zetsche told journalists in Stuttgart, where Daimler was hosting its annual press conference.
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