If nothing else, China has chutzpah. China's government put out a statement early on Wednesday indicating that it was paying "close attention" to the possibility that BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP) would succeed in its bid to acquire Canadian fertilizer giant Potash (NYSE:POT). In mentioning that a so-called BHP potash monopoly would "harm global interests" and that prices are already "unbearable" for Chinese farmers, it would seem that this is a not-so-subtle shot across the bow for not only BHP, but perhaps Canada as well.
Given that BHP Billiton has a significant stake in Chinese potash company China Sinofert, China actually does have some influence in this process and could certainly apply pressure to BHP through that investment. Moreover, there is still the possibility that a Chinese investment fund or company could make a competing bid for Potash - even as large Chinese companies seem reluctant to commit to much interest in such a move.
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