Chinese direct investment into Europe tripled in 2011 to $10bn, according to a study that estimates Chinese companies are in the early stages of a global spree that could see them spend as much as $500bn a year in the region by 2020, writes Jamil Anderlini.
Although total Chinese outbound investment is still small compared with the size of its economy, most analysts say the country is on the verge of ramping up its spending abroad, with crisis-hit Europe seen as one of the most attractive markets.
The report estimates that Chinese direct investment in Europe averaged less than $1bn a year from 2004 to 2008 but tripled to about $3bn in 2009 and 2010 before tripling again to almost $10bn last year.