China's Offensive in Europe

For years China’s international investment interests focused on a search for natural resources in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Recently, China’s focus has shifted to Europe in fields as diverse as real estate, energy, hospitality, transportation, and heavy industry. Chinese foreign investment is expected to grow throughout Europe in years to come. The financial crisis and fall of the euro are helping Chinese companies create a new partnership within the European Union, working to expand China’s power through finance and infrastructure.

China’s Offensive in Europe studies the trends, sectors, and target countries of Chinese investments in Europe. It also takes a look at European perceptions’ of China – a country with very different history and traditions from the Western world.

Philippe Le Corre and Alain Sepulchre examine how Europe’s China presence can serve as a benchmark to other developed economies – especially the United States, which is also seeing a rise in Chinese investments.

Philippe Le Corre is a visiting fellow in the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, where he specializes in China-Europe relations. He is also an adjunct lecturer at Johns Hopkins University. His articles have appeared in Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Foreign Policy, Le Monde, and Wall Street Journal. He is a former foreign correspondent in China and served as senior adviser to the French Minister of Defense. He also acted as a consultant and lecturer in China for several multinational companies.

Alain Sepulchre is a senior adviser with BCG in Hong Kong, formerly with McKinsey Company. He specializes in M&A activities for Chinese companies abroad. He is also a lecturer at the University of Hong Kong and at Paris-Dauphine University. He was previously a senior executive with the energy group Total in China for fifteen years.