Mercedes-Benz pledges continued investment in China: board chairman

Iconic German automaker Mercedes-Benz is confident in China's future and pledges to continue investment as the company seeks to build on the market integration of the past decades, said the company's CEO on Saturday.

Ola Kallenius, chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group, is in China to attend the China Development Forum 2025, which kicked off on Sunday in Beijing.

In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Saturday, Kallenius reaffirmed China's significance as the biggest car market in the world.

"I think this is a big milestone, 50 years of working together. And if you look at where we were 50 years ago and you compare today, our economies are very, very closely linked together. So I think we should use that as a platform to think about how do we develop this into the future, how do we create economic win-wins? And it's already so connected that the auto industry and especially global companies like Mercedes-Benz, we are in all the big economies. Mercedes operates in 150 countries. China is our biggest and most important market. So, let's use this anniversary to see how can we work closer and stronger together in the future," he said.

During Kallenius' meeting on Friday with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, the two sides exchanged views on Mercedes-Benz's cooperation with China and the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles.

Kallenius said the Chinese market is of strategic significance to Mercedes-Benz Group and that the company is willing to further expand investment in China, deepen cooperation with Chinese partners, and jointly cope with global economic and trade challenges.

"We're investing 14 billion [yuan] (about 1.93 billion U.S. dollars) into new products, new technologies, with partners also here in China. We're going to industrialize more vehicles also in China and it's not just our passenger car division. We have an operation for our vans also in Fujian Province. And we're in the process of introducing a complete new vehicle architecture for the vans that we will industrialize also here in China. So it is a very, very broad strategy for Mercedes-Benz in China and also China for the world," he said.

"I had the chance last night to meet Minister Wang from MOFCOM and also today to meet Party secretary Yin from Beijing, which is our home here, our main home here in China, and they sent a very strong message. They said China is open for business, China is opening up, you can count on China, invest in China, and you have a chance if you are competitive to get the return," added Kallenius, referring to Yin Li, secretary of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee.

Kallenius is among 86 official delegates of multinationals from 21 countries participating in this year's forum, which is slated to conclude on Monday.

Mercedes-Benz pledges continued investment in China: board chairman

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests