Aggressively acquisitive groups such as HNA helped China dominate cross-border dealmaking in 2016. Companies from the country agreed $220.4bn in acquisitions, or about 16% of global cross border activity. But the record figures for China, slightly more than double the volume of deals last year, have also sparked a fierce backlash from regulators in both foreign markets and at home, according to the Financial Times. As regulatory reviews for many of the deals struck in 2016 extend into the new year – ChemChina’s $44bn takeover of Swiss agrochemical group Syngenta, China’s largest-ever cross-border takeover, included – questions have emerged over what kind of Chinese groups will succeed in swallowing up foreign assets in 2017, as deals are facing scrutiny from both foreign governments, and China’s State Administration for Foreign Exchange.
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