OCCRP: A Police HQ, Wind Farms, and Natural Gas: Mapping China’s Investments in Europe

Posted on July 24, 2026 by michelleclarke2015
A Police HQ, Wind Farms, and Natural Gas: Mapping China’s Investments in Europe
A state agency that manages China’s foreign reserves under the direction of the country’s central bank has been quietly acquiring stakes in critical infrastructure, utilities, and real estate across Europe.

OCCRP and partners are now able to provide a glimpse into this portfolio, which belongs to China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), after unpicking a complex web of Luxembourg holding firms and offshore Caribbean companies through which some of these assets are held.

Investors of any origin routinely use offshore vehicles and elaborate corporate structures for tax efficiency. However, the findings give a rare insight into how SAFE, an agency known for its secrecy, makes investments in Europe. Reporters found SAFE has acquired minority stakes in an eclectic range of companies across eight European countries, including a fiber-optic cable company in France, wind farms in the U.K., and a luxury hotel building in the Netherlands.

Transparency experts warn that this information should be more easily accessible to the public.“We should be afraid of anonymity,” said Alex Cobham, the chief executive of the Tax Justice Network.“It is better for all of us to know who owns real estate or critical infrastructure.”Read the full story →
This reporting is part of The OpenLux Project, a cross-border investigation coordinated by OCCRP and Le Monde using data from the Luxembourg corporate registry.Journalists from partners De Tijd (Belgium), Le Monde (France), infoLibre (Spain), FRONTSTORY.PL (Poland), VSquare (Central Europe), and Follow the Money (Netherlands) cross-referenced the Luxembourg data with other European business and land ownership registries to trace the assets.
Cybersecurity and A.I.
 
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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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