Knowledge@ASB: Foreign Investment

Chinese companies have missed out on acquiring attractive Australian assets because they lack offshore negotiating skills. The global financial crisis saw a number of miscalculated offers as Chinese bidders overlooked the strength of an Australian economy buoyed substantially by its connection to their own economy. But these early failures are not reliable indicators of what will happen next. Don’t sit back and relax, say China watchers, because the sophistication of Chinese deal makers is growing fast.