EU investment to China slows

China has announced a slowdown in European direct investment in the country.

A Chinese commerce ministry spokesman says European direct investment in China for the January to September period stood at 4.184 billion dollars. That is down 1.8 percent from the same period last year.

European direct investment in China marked an increase of over 10 per cent last year. The increase continued until August this year.

The slowdown apparently reflects moves among EU member companies to stop building new factories or expanding business in China amid growing credit worries and stagnation in Europe.

The EU is China's largest trading partner.

Chinese exports to the EU are likely to slow down, and there are concerns over the impact of European credit worries on the slowing Chinese economy.

Thursday, October 20, 2011 06:46 +0900 (JST)