中国公司在欧洲的发展情况

跨国公司（Transnational Corporation），又称多国公司（Multi-national Enterprise）、国际公司（International Firm）。跨国公司是垄断资本主义高度发展的产物。中国公司为了摆脱金融危机也进军欧洲了。

Poland is building a new motorway. Hardly breaking news, admittedly, until you realize that the company that's doing the work is Chinese. Two years ago the China Overseas Engineering Group won a tender to build a 50 kilometers stretch of highway connecting the Polish capital Warsaw with Berlin. The deal is worth around four hundred million dollars and thought to be the first of its kind in Europe.

The project is not a one-off. Chinese firms are helping Ukraine in the areas of manufacturing, energy and agriculture in preparation for the Euro 2012 football tournament. And they are also active elsewhere around the region including Ireland, Serbia and Greece.

Xing Hua is an expert on Europe at the China Institute of International Studies. He explains the benefits of such projects.

"Increasing mutual investment can make our economic cooperation more solid, more sustainable and china is now paying attention to increasing this investment in Europe.

But despite such activity, there is still room for improvement. Foreign direct investment from Europe to China in 2009 totalled 5.3 billion euros, compared with just zero point three billion euros coming the other way, according to EU figures.

Xing Hua says one of the reasons for this disparity is a lingering mistrust amongst some Europeans that dates back to the days of the cold war.

"To some extent they continue to regard China as a political enemy and continue to affirm that there is some element of political antagonism between China and Europe. But it's not the reality of the current situation in our relationship."

As an increasing number of Chinese companies are bidding for major infrastructure projects in Europe, it's hoped that this growing activity can help to warm ties between the two trading partners.

For CRI, I'm Dominic Swire.