Despite assurances that the EU does not want to decouple its trade from China, Chinese companies operating in Europe say they are facing uncertainty regarding their future, but nevertheless continue to invest in the bloc.

Since the announcement of the “de-risking” paradigm, the European Commission has presented multiple policies aiming to reduce the dependence on China, notably on critical raw materials and products needed for the energy transition, such as solar panels and wind turbines.

As a recent survey reveals, 73% said that their operation was negatively affected by the “de-risking” approach. Nevertheless, 83% of the businesses report that they want to expand their presence in Europe, with a majority expecting revenue from existing operations to increase.

"Chinese enterprises are really concerned regarding the EU’s de-risking strategy and trade barriers, they believe that this initiative will harm China and the EU and impact global economy recovery,” Yang Xiaohong of Roland Berger said when presenting the survey results.