HWM Singapore – June 2019

NOTANEW

PHENOMENON
AttherecentIFAGlobalPress Conference
2019 inAndalusia,Spain,six companies
tooktostageontherstday to present
theirupcominginnovations for the
year– Philips,TCL,Haier,Metz, Safera
andHisenseGorenje.Allthe speakers
representingtheircompanies were
undoubtedlyEuropean,presenting from
theperspectiveofa European company,
butthebulkofthem(four)were really
Chineseowned,whichreally shouldn’t be
thatsurprisingconsideringhow Chinese
politicalandcorporateleaders have been

buying into companies across the world

for the good part of the last decade.

Bloomberg reports that China has

bought or invested in assets amounting

to at least US$318 billion over the past 10

years, with approximately 360 companies

taken over. These range from Italian tire

maker Pirelli & C. SpA to Irish aircraft

leasing company Avolon Holdings Ltd.,

and of course technology companies like

the ones mentioned above.

Yet, even that  gure is likely only the tip

of the iceberg. Bloomberg notes that the

 gures exclude 355 mergers, investments

and joint ventures for which terms were

not disclosed, as well as at least “four

airports, six seaports, wind farms in at

least nine countries and 13 professional

soccer teams.” That’s certainly a wide net,

and even though the deals seem to be

slowing down, the point is clear. China

has made its way into Europe and in

a big way too.

WHAT’S THE DEAL?

Clearly China has taken the old adage

“If you can’t beat them, join them” to

Bloomberg reports that China

has bought or invested in

assets amounting to at least

US$318 billion over the past 10

years, with approximately 360

companies taken over.... Yet,

even that figure is likely only

the tip of the iceberg.

PICTURES

SHUTTERSTOCK

FEATURE

48 HWM | JUNE 2019