A recently published Rhodium Group and MERICS report shows that, after almost a decade of declining Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe, 2025 was the second consecutive year that this FDI rose, rising to its highest levels since 2018. Throughout the year, Chinese FDI in the EU and UK increased by 67 per cent, with M&A activity driving this growth in spite of greenfield investment remaining the primary channel for Chinese FDI into the region.
Europe remained a key destination for global Chinese FDI, increasing by 17 per cent year on year. Can we expect this upward trend to continue in the next few years? How could Chinese FDI into Europe be impacted by ongoing strategic, policy and regulatory developments in both Europe and China? And how do the China to EU FDI flows compare to the EU to China flows?
The EU SME Centre and the European Chamber are pleased to invite stakeholders to our next Policy Meeting, where Gregor Williams, Associate Director at Rhodium Group, and Andreas Mischer, Analyst at MERICS will present the key findings of the study.
Agenda
Friday 5 June (China Standard Time)
15:30–15:35
Opening remarks
15:35–16:10
Presentation by Gregor Williams and Andreas Mischer
16:10–16:30
Discussion and Q&A
Eligibility and registration
This is a closed meeting open to consortium partners’ management and relevant stakeholders of EU SME Centre Phase V, including European embassies, consulates, EU-funded projects and secretariat/board members from European chambers or business associations only. If you meet the criteria and would like to attend, please send your information to Ms Francesca Pala (intern011@europeanchamber.com.cn) with the subject line before Thursday 4 June COB. You will receive a confirmation email.
Speakers
Gregor Williams
Associate Director, Rhodium Group
Gregor Williams is an Associate Director with Rhodium Group’s China Corporate Advisory team, focusing on China’s industrial policy, EV industry, and relationship with the EU. Before joining Rhodium Group, Gregor was an Analyst in the Economy Research Team at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, Europe’s biggest China-focused think tank. He holds an MSc in Economic History from the London School of Economics and a undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Halle.
Andreas Mischer
Analyst, MERICS
Andreas Mischer’s research focuses on tracking China’s foreign investment, its industrial policy and the Chinese automotive industry. Before joining MERICS, Andreas worked as a Business Analyst at convanced GmbH.
During his bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies / Modern Sinology at Georg-August-University Göttingen he also studied three semesters at Beijing Foreign Studies University. He acquired his master’s degree in China Business and Economics at Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg.
