More and more Swedish companies in Chinese ownership

In the survey, Foi has identified 51 Swedish companies that are now majority owned by Chinese companies, and 14 where they bought minority positions. Among the companies that are wholly or partly acquired by Chinese investors are Volvo, Spotify, the electric car developer Nevs and Nordic Cinema Group, which owns Filmstaden. The majority of investments have been made since 2014, and 2017 was the highest activity.

Most acquisitions are made in companies operating in five areas: electronics, the automotive industry, health and biotechnology, industrial production and machinery, and information and communication technology. These have been identified as important focus areas for the Chinese state in the country's national industrial plan "Made in China 2025".

Foi notes that a total of more than 1,000 companies in Sweden are controlled by Chinese citizens. However, the survey does not include companies founded in Sweden by Chinese owners - only existing Swedish companies that Chinese investors have bought into.

Finally, Foi adds that the dark figure regarding Chinese corporate ownership in Sweden can potentially be large, as they have not been able to collect and analyze all the necessary data, and calls for follow-up reviews in the area.