Chinese investment in Europe hits 7-year high of €16.8bn in 2025

In 2025, Chinese investments in Europe reached a peak not seen in seven years, totaling €16.8 billion, fueled by a significant increase in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and unprecedented greenfield completions. Year-on-year, Chinese foreign direct investment in Europe, which includes the UK, surged by 67%, with Europe’s portion of China’s global FDI rising from 17% to almost 25%. M&A transactions climbed by 89% to €7.9 billion, while greenfield investments soared to a record €8.9 billion. Notably, investments in Germany nearly tripled to €2.5 billion, and in France, they quadrupled to €1.9 billion. The combined investment share of France, Germany, and the UK jumped from 23% to 34%. Nevertheless, a report indicates that the pipeline for new projects may be diminishing due to pressures from both Beijing and Brussels.