China's premier tried to reassure executives of leading international companies that his country's investment climate was stable, and said Beijing would not block exports of rare metals needed to make computers and mobile phones. Wen Jiabao made the comments Saturday during a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and business leaders that featured pointed concerns on both sides. “There is an allegation that China's investment environment is worsening,” Wen said, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. “I think it is untrue.” Siemens AG's chief executive, Peter Loescher, appealed to the Chinese to make sure that investments are carried out in a fair manner, without giving preference according to the nationality of the bidding party. The CEO of chemical giant BASF SE, Juergen Hambrecht, said investments in China are often linked with a requirement to transfer technology. “This doesn't quite correspond with our idea of partnership,” German news agency DDP quoted him as saying.
