Chinese deal-making shifts to Europe amid U.S. tensions

Strict COVID-19 rules and regulatory hurdles weighed on outbound investment

Chinese investments have been booming throughout Central and Eastern Europe over the last decade but new data show, in particular, that mergers and acquisitions activity shifted to Europe from the U.S. last year. © AP

CISSY ZHOU, Nikkei staff writer

January 26, 2022 18:22 JST

HONG KONG -- China's mergers and acquisitions activity shifted to Europe from the U.S. last year, a new survey said Wednesday, on the back of rising tensions between the world's two biggest economies.

Deals in Europe rose 5% to $8.4 billion last year while plunging 37% to $4.7 billion in North America compared with 2020, said the joint survey by Baker McKenzie and Rhodium Group.