Understanding British Perceptions Of Chinese Investment In The United Kingdom

Chinese outward foreign direct investment has increased rapidly over the past decade,with the United Kingdom becoming the largest recipient of Chinese FDI in Europe.While literature on the motivations,methods and effects of Chinese overseas investment is becoming increasingly common,there is still a lack of research and polling on perceptions of Chinese FDI in host countries,including the UK.This study is comprised of a news framing analysis of a sample of articles about Chinese investment between 2012-2018 from six British newspapers,a survey of the general population and a small number of interviews with experts on the topic.I came to the conclusion that despite anxieties related to national security issues,potential loss of industry and other economic disadvantages,British perceptions of Chinese investment in the UK appear to be more positive than expected.Overall newspaper coverage of this trend was neutral,while survey respondents had neutral to slightly positive perceptions of Chinese investment in the UK.Furthermore,their attitudes towards Chinese investment were only slightly less positive than their attitudes to foreign investment in general.