As the United States ramps up scrutiny over Chinese investments in America to protect critical industries and national security, experts are now sounding the alarm about investments in Europe that extend Beijing’s political influence and vacuum up cutting-edge technologies. Less than half of the European Union states have mechanisms for screening incoming Chinese investments, a potential security loophole highlighted by a recent U.S. Congressional hearing.
Philippe Le Corre, a senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School, in his written testimony before a May 23 House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on “Chinese Investment and Influence in Europe” highlighted statements in the latest U.S. National Security Strategy, unveiled by President Trump last December. The strategy points out how China has a “strategic foothold” in Europe, and says that Beijing is expanding unfair trade practices and investing in key industries, sensitive technologies and infrastructure there .
