20 Jan 2020

Two-Pager: Chinese Influence and Networks among Firms and Business Elites in the Netherlands

China Knowledge Network

shanghai skyline

Disclaimer: This two-pager has been prepared by the CKN Secretariat and should not be considered the work of the individuals listed as authors of the report.

Key Takeaways

Europe, including the Netherlands, is one of many arenas in which Chinese firms, state-owned and private, pursue global competition and long-term expansion, rather than seeking to “buy up” the European economy.
Chinese companies are increasingly transnational, hybridized, and financialized; state-ownership patterns are complex and require analysis beyond formal ownership structures.
In the Netherlands, Chinese-invested firms show mixed ownership structures, strong reliance on local expertise, and limited evidence of political influence or CCP interference in day-to-day operations.
CCP overseas party building exists but remains limited, pragmatic, and uneven, primarily aimed at maintaining links with the Chinese system and supporting economic competitiveness rather than direct political influence.

READ THE TWO-PAGER HERE (87.63 KB)

China Knowledge Network

The Dutch China Knowledge Network (CKN) is a network established to involve China experts and disseminate knowledge within the government of the Netherlands and beyond.Our key task is to connect various angles of research and events to better understand China’s motives, policies and vision to develop more effective policies and better advise social partners. The secretariat of the knowledge network has been assigned to think tank Clingendael together with LeidenAsiaCentre. They will function primarily as ‘knowledge brokers’, matching the supply and demand of knowledge.