Brussels, 27/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Chinese authorities discussed how China may channel its direct investments in Europe, particularly through Chinese participation in the Juncker investment plan, during a visit of the European institution to China this week.
China will not make a direct contribution to the investment plan, which is designed to draw down more than €300 billion in new investments in Europe between now and 2018. It will choose from among the projects already selected by the EIB to receive a public guarantee under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the financial arm of the Juncker plan.
The Chinese have opted, for instance, to invest in the creation of the offshore windfarm Beatrice, in north-east Scotland, which will receive EIB support for £525 million, notably via the EFSI fund. Unlike the EIB's involvement in this project, which will be achieved through a loan, the Chinese investment will be through an equity stake. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)