As Europe becomes a preferred playing field for Chinese foreign direct investment, leaders of bloc nations have been drawn into a debate on the creation of a long-anticipated screening mechanism.
China has the most at stake. While Chinese investment into Europe was insignificant during the first decade of the 21st century, there has been a surge since 2010, partly as a result of the global financial crisis ravaging several southern European economies and buffeting others. Some 35 billion euros ($41.2 billion) was invested last year alone, a 77% increase from 2015, according to the Mercator Institute for China Studies. All 28 members of the European Union have taken part in this bounty.
