BOFIT Viikkokatsaus / BOFIT Weekly Review 2015/09
The Chinese have been active investors in Europe in recent years. However, the stocks and flows of Chinese FDI are still relatively small compared to all foreign investment in Europe, which in large part still comes from the United States. Eurostat figures show that the stock of Chinese FDI in Europe is only about 1 % the size of the stock of US investments in Europe. At the same time the flow of Chinese investment in the total investment flow into Europe is a few per cent.
According to the latest figures, the volume of foreign direct investment from Europe to China is still larger than FDI flows from China to Europe.
The number of Chinese acquisitions of European firms is soaring at a time when growth in FDI from countries outside Europe has otherwise slowed. Both state-owned investment corporations and private companies have invested. Notable acquisitions include the real estate purchases of the China Investment Group in the UK, the China Investment Corporation’s massive investment in the Italian energy sector, as well as Dalian Wanda Group’s expansion into the European entertainment industry.