FILE PHOTO: Li Shufu, founder and chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, attends the Volvo's S90 news conference in Shanghai, China November 2, 2016. REUTERS/Aly Song/Files

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Li Shufu, the founder and main owner of China's Geely [GEELY.UL], is not seeking influence over Daimler's DAIGn.DE strategy via representation on its board after building up a stake of almost 10 percent in the German carmaker, according to a newspaper interview.

“I respect the values and culture of Daimler. I have never asked for a seat on the supervisory board, and that doesn’t have any priority for me,” German weekly Bild am Sonntag quoted Li as saying in an interview.

Geely’s purchase of a $9 billion stake in the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars has rekindled fears in Germany of its highly-prized expertise falling into Chinese hands.