CHINA’S Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) criticized the United States on Friday for thwarting a Chinese investment fund’s proposed acquisition of German semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron.

    Aixtron announced Thursday that China’s Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund had dropped its 670 million euro (US$710.60 million) takeover offer to buy the company, after the United States blocked the deal on security grounds.

    “The United States, in the name of national security, frequently departs from market and commercial principles to interfere with normal business activity,” said MOFCOM spokesman Shen Danyang.

    Shen was answering a question on the Aixtron deal at a regular MOFCOM briefing.

    The deal fully conformed “with international business practices and market principles and shouldn’t have been subjected to political interference,” Shen said. “We hope the United States maintains an objective view about Chinese enterprises investing overseas,” Shen said.

    Shen’s comment echoed earlier criticism by China’s Foreign Ministry.(SD-Agencies)